State responses to gendered and sexual violence

Question 1

What is the definition of sexualised violence?

Answer 1

crimes of rape and attempted rape, sexual abuse of children, sexually motivated acts of humiliation and degradation of mainly women (but also some men)

Question 2

What is the definition of gendered violence?

Answer 2

broader category than sexualised violence, includes non-sexual violent crimes, such as partner-beating and abuse.

The term “domestic violence” is used lesser now.

Question 3

How many women and children were considered at serious risk from death as a result of “domestic violence” in March 2014?

Answer 3

11,000

Question 4

How many women were affected by domestic violence in 2015?

Answer 4

1.2 million

Question 5

How many men were affected by domestic violence in 2015?

Answer 5

700,000

Question 6

What is significant about male victims of domestic violence?

Answer 6

Most males are victims at the hands of other males - mostly fathers/stepfathers

Question 7

Although statistics vary, what do all surveys agree upon?

Answer 7

That sexual/gendered violence is a huge problem, often under-reported, under-rated and misunderstood

Question 8

How many women are estimated to become victims of sexual abuse or violence at the hands of their partners at some point in their lifetime?

Answer 8

Between one-fifth and one-half

Question 9

How many men are estimated to suffer violence at the hands of their partners throughout their life?

Answer 9

10%

Question 10

What percentage of the female population is estimated to be victims of rape at some point in their lifetime?

Answer 10

10%

Question 11

What percentage of the male population is estimated to be victims of rape at some point in their lifetime?

Answer 11

1%

Question 12

In 2001, how many rapes were estimated in a police survey, and how many of these were estimated to have ended in conviction?

Answer 12

32,000 per annum.

2% led to convictions

Question 13

Official figures in 2014 estimated rapes at what number?

Answer 13

85,000 for women

12,000 for men

Question 14

2014: other surveys suggested that rape numbers/conviction rates be at what?

Answer 14

rapes per annum: up to 200,000

3% to 9% conviction rate

Question 15

What is unique about the conviction of sexual violence crime in comparison to other serious crimes?

Answer 15

It has the lowest conviction rate for any category of serious crime.

Question 16

What are the five problems with police practice in regards to rape?

Answer 16

1) tendency to trivialise sexual/gender based violence as “domestics” and dismiss these crimes under this notion
2) police assumptions that they have the right/duty to tear apart alleged victims accounts
3) lack of resources to support legal reforms
4) crimes seen as “low priority” and below ambitious officers
5) structural problems within police force - low percentage of women officer

Question 17

What percentage of the police force in the UK is made up of women? And what percentage of senior officers are women?

Answer 17

28% police force female

15% of senior officers female

Question 18

What did the 2008 Yates report into the London Metropolitan Police uncover?

Answer 18

1) the same professionalism is not applied to rape investigations as to other serious crimes
2) complainants are greeted with scepticism, cynicism and inertia
3) they tolerate a police culture that continues to blame rape victims
4) they accept a mediocre approach to investigations
5) they fail to collect vital evidence/lose opportunity to collect vital evidence, thus undermining the likelihood of a successful prosecution case

Question 19

What are the main problems with the judiciary in regards to sexual/gender violence prosecution?

Answer 19

• background and training of judges
• history of insensitive remarks or rulings
• failure to implement legal changes or to uphold the law
• judges have tradition of acting like demi-gods in “their” courtroom

Question 20

What are the main problems with the law in regards to sexual/gendered violence?

Answer 20

• social construction of consent is a big issue
• assumptions about “stranger” rape and rape by someone known to the victim
• debates about ‘binary’ logic and adversarial nature of UK courtrooms
• jury prejudice about what constitutes rape and about the ‘proper’ or ‘appropriate’ conducts of ‘victims’ is notorious

Question 21

What legal change occurred in 2003 that sought to assist the fairer prosecution of rapists?

Answer 21

There was a change in the law which prevented rape victims having their sexual histories dragged up in court

Question 22

What legal change occurred in the Scottish Parliament in 2001 as a result of a ruling by Lord Abernethy?

Answer 22

Legislation was passed which now places emphasis on the lack of consent - not the presence of evidence of violence

Question 23

What did the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act of 2009 do?

Answer 23

Pushed through important changes to the legal definitions of ‘consent’ and ‘penetration’
-> definition was extended to include anal rape, both male and female

Question 24

What percentage of potential jurors in Scottish rape trails considered women to be partly at fault in certain situations of being raped?

Answer 24

40%