The UK government has started a new anti-rape campaign that targets men getting consent, instead of just telling women to keep their legs shut, which is pretty great considering that's what the campaigns usually consist of. Besides the posters, such as the one here, the campaign will also run ads in magazines that focus on the problem of getting consent from women when they are drunk. I can't help but feel slightly annoyed that they are focusing on this aspect of rape. Because this does bring the whole issue back around to women's behavior. Also, there were some sentences in the Home Office press release that I found slightly ridiculous (and humorous) and also sounded like they were attempting to cover their back against any form of criticism from...well I guess men. Are they preempting an flow of angry letters from men, insulted to see posters campaigning against rape in MALE bathrooms?:
"While recognizing, that only a small minority of men ever commit rape the campaign is nevertheless aimed at men, because the vast majority of sexual offences are committed by men."
Yes.....was that not clear to begin with? Why do they have to explain why it is focusing on men's behavior instead of women's behavior? These are rhetorical questions. Maybe they should add a sentence in that says "While recognizing, that only a small minority of women ever get raped, the campaign is nevertheless aimed at men who rape women, because the vast majority of sexual offences are experience by women."
I love the Truth About Rape Campaign post cards because they are not preempted by a clause so ensure that no one is offended.
BBC link
2 comments:
You said "The UK government has started a new anti-rape campaign that targets men getting consent, instead of just telling women to keep their legs shut, which is pretty great considering that's what the campaigns usually consist of."
What government campaigns have told women to keep their legs shut? I've never seen any.
So there haven't been posters literally telling women to keep their legs shut, but if you look at the comments that are made by the Met police and other goverment bodies that place the blame on sexual violence against women increasing due women's drinking habits etc..., the onus is on women getting themselves into situation where sexual assault is supposedly more likely to occur. Anti-rape campaigns tend to target women's behaviour and focus on what WOMEN can do to keep safe - not on the fact that RAPE is WRONG.
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