Responding to SA

Question 1

Kelly (1998) - SA def

Answer 1

“… includes any physical, visual, verbal or sexual act that is experienced by the woman or girl, at the time or later, as a threat, invasion or assault, that has the effect of hurting her or degrading her and/or takes away her ability to control intimate contact”

Question 2

RapeCrisis def of Sexual Violence

Answer 2

“Sexual violence is the general term we use to describe any kind of unwanted sexual act or activity including rape, sa, sexual violence and many others”

Question 3

CDC def of sexual violence

Answer 3

“a sexual act committed against someone without their freely given consent”

Question 4

Kelly (1987)

Answer 4

• For many, sexual violence happens on a continuum, ranging from verbal abuse, pornography, DV, SA to rape and homicide
• Sexual violence exists beyond what the law says

Question 5

Crime Survey by Eng + Wales (2018)

Answer 5

• Approx 700000 people aged 16-59 were victims of SA in the last year
• Equates to around 20% of women + 4% of men - 3.4mil female/631000 men
• Approx 85000 women +12000 men experience rape/ attempted rape/ SA by penetration every year
• Approx 90% knew the perpetrator prior to the offence

Question 6

Inter-Parliamentary Union (2016)

Answer 6

65% of women parliamentarians reported having been subjected to sexual remarks, primarily by male colleagues in Parliament

Question 7

UN Women

Answer 7

Globally 35% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, or sexual violence by a non-partner

Question 8

UN Women 2021

Answer 8

Some national studies show that 70% of women in the UK experience sexual harassment in public spaces

Question 9

Report on Rape Survivors - 491 respondents

Answer 9

• Less than 1/2 said police treated them respectfully, sensitively, + believed them
• 57% said police kept them informed
• 70% reported having to chase info
• “just 5% strongly agreed and a further 9% agreed that survivors could obtain justice by reporting to the police”

Question 10

Office for National Statistics (2018)

Answer 10

-approx. 770,000 estimated victims
-170,000 estimated rapes
-69,000 reported to police
-over 1/2mil cases not reported
-very few result in conviction of offender

Question 11

Roger Graef, “a complaint of rape” (1982)

Answer 11

• very insensitive dealing with reports of rape, very clear in the BBC documentary that police didn’t believe the victim
  -“All we’ve got is your side and you’re making a fairy tale out of it”
• trust of police broken

Question 12

Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVA) Service (founded 2005)

Answer 12

• Advisors who work with victims of sexual violence - irrespective of if they reported to police
• Children’s ISVAs work with children and their families
• Help victims understand process of reporting
• practical + emotional support
• Independent from CJS - but liase with police + CJS

Question 13

Government end-to-end review

Answer 13

• Acknowledges shortcomings but only seeks to return to 2016 levels
• £176m given to victim support but no details to when it will be paid
• tough on crime stance

Question 14

Victim support

Answer 14

-Sheffield rape and sexual abuse centre has been supporting survivors since before 1980. providing confidential help and support line, counselling, group work, ISVA services
-RapeCrisis
-Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit
End violence against women coalition

Question 15

Charge and Prosecution of Rape

Answer 15

-Sep2021, 1.3% of rape cases recorded by police in Eng + Wales resulted in suspect being prosecuted (Home Office)
-62.9% increase in volume of rape prosecutions from 1557 in 2020-21 to 2531 in 2021-22
- Whether suspect is charged depends on police force - 9/10 charged in Avon+Somerset but only 4/10 in south Yorkshire