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scotkaz · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 527

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/article288948.ece

PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE AND SIGN THE PETITION ON IT.

Victim's hotline is 3 years late

WOMEN who flirt, get drunk or wear sexy clothes are asking to be raped - according to a third of the population.

This shocking statistic which was released by Amnesty International last year, speaks volumes about the way this crime is treated and the general attitude towards its victims.

We were so horrified after learning this that we started to investigate the way rape victims are treated in this country.

What we’ve learnt has shocked us.

As a result we have launched our Stop Rape Now campaign.

More than 50,000 women are raped every year in Britain - a figure that is sadly rising.

And when they are attacked there is NO where for them to go for help although the Government promised THREE YEARS ago they would establish a rape hotline.

In July 2003, then Home Secretary David Blunkett said in a Commons debate: "We intend to set up a rape helpline as quickly as possible, as we promised (in an earlier debate)".

Now it is time for our army of readers to demand the Government make good on their promise.

It is already incredibly difficult to get a conviction for rape in this country - only one in 20 of those reported to the police ends in the defendant being found guilty.

And unless this violent crime is taken more seriously the vast majority of rapes and sexual assaults will continue to go unpunished.

Rape is every woman's worst nightmare.

And every woman, man and child (yes a significant number of victims are men and children) who has been violated has to live with the horror of her attack every day for the rest of her life.

Yet the average sentence for a rapist is only seven years.

To put blame on the victims is quite simply disgusting.

When exactly did "no" stop meaning "no" and start meaning "nah - oh well - go on then"?

We need to start supporting victims more and blaming the perpetrators of this heinous act - for all the blame lies at their door.

No one asks to be raped and it is 100 per cent the perpetrator's fault.

So we are calling for:

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A dedicated 24-hour helpline for victims to ensure they are given the best support by specially trained advisors.

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Tougher sentences for rapists.

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We want to increase the number of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in the UK. There are just three in London and 14 across the country.

Such centres are based in healthcare facilities instead of police stations, the idea being to encourage more victims of rape and sexual assault to come forward.

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We are also calling for dedicated funding for Rape Crisis centres to enable them to stay open.

Rape Crisis centres provide an invaluable service. But shockingly half of the centres across the country are set to close by the end of this year due to lack of funds.

It is another sickening blow for rape victims as there are only 40 centres across the country at the moment - barely enough to cope with current demand and down from double that in the early 1980s

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An improvement in public attitude towards this crime which will in turn help drive-up conviction rates.

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We want more specially trained police officers and specially trained Crown Prosecution Services barristers.

While the services provided for survivors are improving there is still a mountain to climb.

If you want to add your support to our Stop Rape Now campaign then please sign our petition.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/article288948.ece

_________________
Great Spirit, grant that I may not criticize my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins." - Old Native American Indian Prayer that my dad taught me.

kevin donald · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 198

As A New Cumnock boy and visting my Family there i found that this case must look bad on Scotland in a way that they do not care, concerning Woman.

http://www.lindsayarmstrongsupportgroup.org.uk/

Big Wullie · Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1149 Location: Glasgow

Hi Scotkaz

Signed the petition

Dont you think the same should apply to Child Molesters and Paedophiles ?

Why is there never any petitions for these animals that committ such heinous crimes against children ?

scotkaz · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 527