NORTHERN IRELAND: Dramatic Increase in Reported Rapes in Northern Ireland

Date: 
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Source: 
Women's Views on News
Countries: 
Europe
Western Europe
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Peacekeeping

Reports of rape and attempted rape in Northern Ireland have increased by ten per cent compared to last year, according to the BBC.


Between April to September this year, 261 cases of rape and attempted rape have been recorded. ‘If the figures continue to increase for the next six months we will be looking at the largest number of recorded rape offences within recent years,' Detective Chief Inspector Don Glass said.

In a bid to tackle the problem, the police and the Department of Health and Department of Justice has re-launched the Be SMART anti-rape campaign. The campaign advises young women to watch how much they drink on a night out, and warns men that sex without consent is rape. Posters and advertisements will be placed at various entertainment values and in colleges.

The campaign is however somehow controversial, and it can be argued that use of the word ‘smart' and addressing women's alcohol consumption in an anti-rape campaign contributes to the myth that some women are to blame for rape.