More than Half of Young UK Women Victim-Blame

by Roxann MtJoy · 2010-02-15 13:19:00 UTC
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In a recent survey conducted in the United Kingdom, 54 percent of young women said that rape victims should accept some responsibility for their attack. Wow.

The poll was conducted in London with 1,000 each of both men and women between the ages of 18-24 participating.  The survey was called Wake Up to Rape and was sponsored by The Haven, a group of sexual assault clinics.

Shockingly, one in eight respondents thought flirting, provocative dancing, and/or wearing sexy clothes make rape victims at least partially to blame. Even more -- one-fifth -- believe that accepting a drink from a stranger or going into the would-be assailant's home (haven't these women heard of acquaintance rape?!) makes the victim responsible. Seriously? I thought that the old "she was asking for it" defense was, if not dead and buried, had at least one foot in the grave already. Oh, and get this: 14 percent of women polled believe that most rape allegations are false. With popular attitudes such as these, it is no wonder 20 percent of women say they wouldn't report being raped to the police.

The young men of London, while less likely overall to judge than their female counterparts, also had some reprehensible things to say in the survey. A staggering 13 percent confessed to having sex with someone who was too intoxicated to comprehend what was happening. About one-third actually thinks it isn't rape to have sex with their partner when said partner is unwilling. How can that be? Isn't "no means no" a basic tenet of sexual assault?

I find these results both surprising and sad. Perhaps I am just naive, but I really thought that we were beyond this victim-blaming foolishness. Sure, I knew that there were people out there who still put up the "she was asking for it" defense, but I would never have guessed that over half of women 18-24 would say such a thing. If women aren't empowering and supporting each other, who will?

Photo credit: megyarsh

Roxann MtJoy is a freelance writer who previously worked as a case manager at a domestic violence shelter. She is currently attending graduate school for theater in Mount Vernon, N.Y.
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