Over the Rainbow: Rape in the Media

Over the Rainbow - a site for survivors of any unwanted sexual activity

Rape in the Media
The manner in which the rape and sexual abuse of women is portrayed in the media has often appalled me. The links on this page will take you to press articles and essays. Please also see below for resources and books on rape in the media and fighting the bias.

What purpose do rape sequences serve within film narratives? A dissertation I wrote on the way in which rape is represented in film
www.moviesthattrigger.com: a website that documents any film that may be considered to be triggering because of its content.
'Why we believe the police have lost sight of rape" The Times,17 January. Article which asks if while Tony and Ian Blair focus on defeating terrorists, are domestic violence, rape and racist assault being forgotten?
'Police disbelieve women on rape" An article that I did for BBC News On Line. I was interviewed in response to the amnesty survey that found one third of people think a woman is at least partly to blame for being raped if she is flirtatious, and a quarter if she is drunk or wears revealing clothing.
Police refuse to explain fatal failures: The Guardian, June 15th. Hayley case seen as latest in list of domestic violence errors
The family no one could save The Guardian, June 7th. Account of the police's repeated failure to protect a woman from her husband who went on kill her.
Rape and the blame game The Independent on Sunday June 7th 2005. Article about the 'culture of scepticism' that exist in the Criminal Justice System.
Decline in rape convictions prompts Met to review procedures The Guardian June 6th 2005. Despite researchers finding that there was a "'culture of scepticism' towards rape victims among police and prosecutors" the Police fail to take any responsibility for the problems women face trying to get justice and protection from rape.
Untrained detectives left to solve complex rape cases The Observer May 1st 2005. Article highlights how the police fail prioritise rape.
Scandal of justice revolution that betrayed rape victims The Observer May 1st 2005. One woman's account of the ordeal she suffered at the hands of the police and in court when trying to get justice. Rape conviction rate falls to all-time low The Guardian February 25th 2005. Article discussing the findings of the recent Home Office study A Gap or Chasm.
Rapes Soar as Convictions Plummet to an All-Time Low The Times February 25th 2005. The Times response to A Gap or Chasm Home office study.
Crisis talks on fall in rape convictions The Scotsman, Feb 21st 2005. Senior prosecutors gathered to tackle the difficulties of handling rape investigations and trials in Scotland.

Resources For Fighting Media Representations of Rape and Sexual Assault:

Truth About Rape: A Women-only UK-based organization that fights judicial and media bias against sexual assault victims.
Take back the News - Take Back The News confronts the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of sexual assault in mainstream media with the goal of improving both the quantity and quality of media coverage of sexual assault.

Books on Media Representations of Rape/ Sexual Assault, and Victims (Links go to Amazon UK):

Rape on Trial: How the Mass Media Construct Legal Reform and Social Change - Lisa M Cuklanz
Rape on Prime Time: Television, Masculinity, and Sexual Violence - Lisa M Cuklanz
Virgin or Vamp: How the Press Covers Sex Crimes - Helen Benedict
Carnal Knowledge: Rape on Trial by Sue Lees (Brilliant UK text that cites some shocking examples of media malfeasance around rape.)

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