GMP Rape Awareness Campaign

GMP Rape Awareness Campaign Poster

Greater Manchester Police is today (Monday 30 November) taking the lead on the launch of a national Rape Awareness Campaign, which aims to reduce incidents of rape and sexual assault across the country over Christmas.

Statistics show that alcohol features in approximately two thirds of all rape cases, so a victim from Greater Manchester is coming forward to tell her story and warn other young women and men about the dangers of drinking large quantities of alcohol and leaving themselves vulnerable to crimes such as rape and sexual assault.

“We’re not trying to stop people from going out and having a good time. We just hope that by hearing first hand how this type of crime can devastate someone’s life it will make people stop, and ultimately take some simple steps to keep themselves and their friends safe on a night out,” said Detective Superintendent Philip Owen of GMP’s Local Policing Improvement Branch.

This campaign is being launched ahead of the Christmas party season when there is the potential for incidents of rape and sexual assault to increase. Figures show that between November 2004 and October 2007*, in Greater Manchester the number of reported rapes and attempted rapes against women over 16 years of age increased in the months of December and January before falling again in the February.

The awareness week will involve two highly emotive TV adverts being broadcast nationally and on the Skyscraper-screen advert in Piccadilly. One of the adverts will remind men that they must seek consent for sex. The second advert is aimed at victims and highlights the effects of rape, the importance of reporting it and the support available.

As nationally figures show that 16 to 25 year olds are most likely to be victims of violent crime, GMP will also be placing an advert on Facebook to communicate safety tips such as pacing drinks, planning to get home, sticking with friends and taking a taxi you can trust.

During the awareness week and beyond, police officers will be visiting the popular bar areas reminding everyone to stay safe by sticking with friends, pacing drinks and planning how to get home before they indulge in the odd drink or two. Officers will also be on hand at closing time to ensure that everyone takes a safe route home. Similar operations will be running in other areas of Greater Manchester.

Posters and postcards will also be distributed across licensed premises to highlight messages such as ‘Let your hair down and not your guard’ and ‘No consent No sex’.

Detective Superintendent Philip Owen continues: “Through this campaign, we also want to ensure victims have the confidence to report incidents of rape and sexual assault to the police.

“I want to reassure them that we treat every report seriously and we have specially trained officers and the support of the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor services, to help and support them from the initial report, throughout the investigation and during court proceedings.”

As well as the police, there are a number of other organisations in place to support victims of rape, such as St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Rape Crisis, Survivors Trust, the Victim Support and Witness Service and Manchester Action on Street Health (M.A.S.H).

Dr Catherine White, Clinical Director at St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, said: “St Mary’s Centre is an independent organisation that provides comprehensive and co-ordinated forensic, counselling and support services to victims of rape and sexual assault.

“Alcohol does feature in some of the cases that we see and it is important for people to understand that alcohol does make you vulnerable. It does help then to plan your night out, stick with your friends and make sure you know how you are going to get home.”

Radio adverts will also run on Galaxy FM to support this campaign.