Everyday Victim Blaming

challenging institutional disbelief around domestic & sexual violence and abuse

Rape is not SEDUCTION

An email I have sent to the Sheffield Star. I am furious!

Dear Editor of the Sheffield Star,

Your report, Man jailed for seducing his teenage daughter, was published on the Sheffield Star website and describes a man who committed child rape. The headline, choosing to describe this as 'seduction', downplays the horrific nature of the offence and the trauma the girl is likely to suffer for the rest of her life.

The piece went on to describe his actions as 'having sex with her', again making child sexual abuse sound like something consensual rather than the terrorising actions that actually constitute this offence.

It is irresponsible and demeaning to minimise such a devastating crime in this way and such reporting needs to accurately depict the seriousness of the offences it describes. Using euphemisms to describe child rape sanitises the appalling actions of this man, and the media has a responsibility to reflect the reality of this kind of crime.

Philippa Willitts

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