Re: Women blamed ....for rape
 

If you get stonked and wake up with a total moron, you have only yourself to blame. I wonder how many of us could honestly say that we've never done it? Not me, for one. The way the papers are telling it, though, if you've had a few and get raped, hard luck chuck. The fault with the reported case lies with the Crown Prosecution Service - it should never have got as far as a court.

Re: Women blamed ....for rape
 

I agree with Pendy on this one. The CPS should have never let it get to court. She admitted to the police in her statement that she couldn't remember if she had given her consent or not to the security guard who walked her back home.

Re: Women blamed ....for rape
 

The most appaling aspect of this case is the manner in which the accused had his name and picture slapped all over the papers. In spite of the verdict, there will be a cloud hanging over this young man for the rest of his life. Meanwhile,the so-called victim - a woman so drunk she simply did not know what happened - has her privacy protected by the courts. She should be named and shamed.

Re: Women blamed ....for rape
 

I agree, both the accused and the accuser should have the same right to anonymity. This would lessen the cases of false accusations being brought, and thus help the true victims of rape.

Re: Women blamed ....for rape
 

It shouldn't just be about anonymity, there should be a complete media embargo on rape cases for both the supposed victim and the alledged attacker until a verdict has been arrived at.

As for other points raised in this thread. It such a difficult subject - take for instance the issue of previous activities being taken into account. Is it important for all the history of both parties to be taken into account? You'd certainly want to know if the man in question had been accused of rape more than once wouldn't you, so surely you should also take into account that the woman in question has a history of one night stands or crying foul.

On the other hand why should it matter that a person has had a 100 one night stands if on the 101 they are actually raped?

What I'm trying to say is that it's incredibly hard to generalise in an argument like this when every single case is hugely different.

Re: Women blamed ....for rape
 

It is a very grey area but when a third of the people in the Amnesty survey thought that a woman was wholly or in some way responsible for the rape if she had had a drink, it is still very disturbing.

Rape can happen to virgins and prostitutes, and both should be afforded the same judical justice.

Re: Women blamed ....for rape
 

Its that very grey area that is causing all the problems and no one seems to have the balls to tackle it. The longer it goes on the worse it will be. :(