Rape Is Rape, in any language
The CRASAC 'Rape is Rape in any language' campaign has been set up by Coventry Rape Crisis, in conjunction with the Coventry City Council Harm Reduction Team.
Statement from Press Release:
It is a joint project between CRASAC and Coventry City Council which aims to speak to a broad audience, raising awareness that rape and sexual violence are never the victims fault. We wanted to deliver key messages that both dispel the myths and stereotypes around rape and sexual violence in our community and let people know that support is here if they want it.
The intention is to use this video in police stations, GP surgeries, schools, Universities, A&E, Walk-in Centres and businesses and this video is the starting point to build from. We intend to move forward using different languages and picking out particular themes for specific audience groups.
We hope that this video will have an impact across our entire community, which is richly diverse, and deliver the message that victims and survivors of sexual violence are never to blame.
The video includes people of both sexes, different ages and ethnicities. It is clear that the campaign aims to tackle the myths and stereotypes about sexual violence and the impact is has on those who experience it.
Within the video, there are details of statistics about sexual violence and the video includes many different circumstances - including child rape, male rape, intimate partner rape and rape of vulnerable or incapacitated women.
Throughout the video, we see a variety of situations and circumstances, and CRASAC have cleverly introduced some common statistics, such as:
"26% of us believe a woman is partially responsible for her own rape if she was wearing revealing clothing"
Towards the end of the video, support offered by CRASAC is detailed - this includes educating others about Sexual Violence, challenging the myths associated with it and providing a listening and support service to those who have experienced Sexual Violence.
The video ends with a difficult, but necessary scenario. We see a prospective rapist planning his assault. His prospective victim is incapacitated in a bedroom at a party, and he is shown weighing up the risks. He assesses her competence, looks for the possibility of an observer and closes the door - seemingly nodding in engagement with someone else outside of it.
This scenario shows that Sexual Violence is not an accident in communication, as it is sometimes described. The clear actions that the rapist takes in order to minimise the risk of being caught, clearly debunk the myth of 'miscommunication' or 'accidental rape'.
The next scene shows him sitting in a police cell, wearing forensic clothing.
At the end of the video, we see details of the joint project, including the support offered by CRASAC for those who have experienced Sexual Violence.
We LOVE the video. It is short (just over 3 minutes), debunks some of the most common myths and includes a variety of people - showing that rape can, and does, affect many of us. Well done CRASAC and Coventry City Council.
When are you making it a national campaign? We think everyone needs to see this!
You can see the video via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04LeOdMEcRk#t=20
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i went to this event tonight with my best friend, and im glad i did, crasac are such as supportive bunch of people, and i could not have got through this past year as well as i have without there constant help and reassurance for myself and my family, they have gone above and beyond for me, im glad that there is a place like crasac, im only sad that i didnt know about them earlier, a point that i hope to try and help to change…… crasac are amazing.
Bravo!
We need more information about the true nature of rape, especially when it involves minors. What has society come to? Discrimination because of race, religion, and sex is gradually decreasing, but the incidence of rape is not.
And it’s time we reverted to the correct word, instead of calling it “sexual assault” or simply “assault”.
I am glad the campaign highlights anyone can be a victim. I do however find the statement sex without consent is rape. I totally agree with the statement. If you have sex without consent it is rape. But what happens if a woman has sex with a boy under 16 who can not give consent. Shouldn’t that be rape? What happens if a woman forces coerces or pressurises a male into sex? He hasn’t fully consented so that sgould be rape? What if a woman forces another woman or female child into sex. Is that not rape? I have been raped & abused by my own father and in my own opinion my mother as well. She had sex with her own son and daughter and her children couldn’t consent. I shouldn’t have my experience minimised to sexual assault just because the law says women can’t rape. I should be able to name my experience for what it was and that is sex without consent, which according to this campaign is rape. Men and women are victims. Girls and boys are victims. Men and women can be the rapist. The law needs to change so all victims get justice. If I prosecuted my father would rightly get charged with raped. My mother would have her crime that has caused huge damage to my emotional and psychological health reduced to sexual assault. To me that is a insult because its saying her abuse wasn’t as bad. It doesn’t deserve to be called rape. It doesn’t deserve the same sentence. It caused just as much hurt pain and shame though. It affects every aspect of my life and it means I trust no one. ALL sex without consent is rape & damaging.