Excellent response!

The Rape of Nanking

By Sheila Jeffreys

B E A  U T Y  A N D  M  I S O G Y N Y
Harmful cultural practices in the west
Should western beauty practices, ranging from lipstick to labiaplasty, be
included within the United Nations' understanding of harmful traditional/
cultural practices? By examining the role of common beauty practices in
damaging the health of women, creating sexual difference, and enforcing
female deference, this book argues that they should.

Work In Progress!!!

From the Rape Crisis Scotland blog

To suggest that girls and women, through the choices they exercise in the clothes they select, can influence the behaviour of the opposite gender is to assign them a degree of control which they simply do not have. Directing instructions made on this basis only to girls reinforces the myth that it is principally women who bear responsibility for sexual conduct, and for controlling the sexual impulses of men and boys. It is a fallacy and an insult to men to suggest that male sexuality is some kind of compelling animal force far more powerful than its female counterpart, and to hold this view is to absolve men, at least in part, from the responsibility for their sexual choices, leaving women no alternative other than to shoulder the blame for the rapes and sexual assaults of which they themselves are the victims.


Blaming sexual violence on “raging hormones”, “inappropriate thoughts”, or “mixed signals” and advocating caution and cover-ups on the part of women and girls as the solution removes the focus from where it really belongs – on the attitudes and behaviour of boys and the men they will become. The role of education in making positive changes in this regard is absolutely crucial. By complementing lessons on healthy relationships of the sort that currently feature in PSE classes with others that teach young men to respect women, that no one is “entitled” to sex, and that clothes are simply clothes and not some kind of coded invitation, that only yes ever means yes – but that no always means no – we can make significant and vital steps towards making this happen.

Men and boys are central to the fight against sexual violence and can be powerful communicators of the messages we need to get across in order to makes the attitudinal and culture changes necessary to eradicate it. If we are serious about ending sexual violence, we must forget about the perils of the mini-skirt, and start examining the real causes of sexual violence – and challenging the attitudes of those who commit it.

Deserving?

• In a survey carried out in February 2010 for the Scottish Government 17% of people questioned believed that a woman is to some degree responsible for her rape if she was wearing revealing clothing
• 64% believed that the victim bears some responsibility if they drank to excess or blanked out, according to the Wake Up To rape research published by Havens in 2010
• 3% of rapes reported to the police currently lead to a conviction
• 20% of the broad cross-section of the Scottish population (700 interviewees) who took part in research carried out by progressive on behalf of Rape Crisis Scotland in August 2007 believed that women contribute to rape if they wear revealing clothing

This was entirely consistent with other findings:

• Research conducted by Amnesty International in 2005 found that 27% of people believed a woman is totally or partially responsible if she is wearing 'sexy or revealing' clothing
• A survey of 986 Scots carried out by TNS System three in February 2008 for the Scottish Government found that 27% thought that a woman bore some responsibility if she wore revealing clothing
• Almost a quarter (23%) of the broad cross-section of the Scottish population ( 700 interviewees) who took part in research carried out by progressive on behalf of Rape Crisis Scotland in August 2007 believed that women contribute to rape if they have engaged in some form of sexual activity
• Research conducted by Amnesty International in 2005 found that over a third of people believe a woman is totally or partially responsible if she has behaved in a flirtatious manner
• A survey of 986 Scots carried out by TNS System three in February 2008 for the Scottish Government found that if a woman was flirting  before being sexually attacked, 25% of adults under 24 believe she should be held at least partly responsible, but among the 65 and over, that rose to 50%
• In 8% of reported rapes the assailant is a stranger
• In 54%  of reported rapes they are partners or former partners
• Scot's Law has only criminalised rape within marriage since 1989
• In a 2005 poll for Amnesty International 28% of people said that a woman was totally or partially responsible for being raped if she was drunk
• In a 2005 poll for Amnesty International 34% of people said that a woman was totally or partially responsible for being raped if she had previously flirted with a man
• In 2006-2007 922 rapes were reported in Scotland but only 65 made it to court

(Walby and Allen, 2004).

Myhill and Allen (2002) extrapolate that their figures would produce an annual incidence for rapeof 61,000 in the year before the survey (UK figures)

• one in four women have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetime
• the vast majority (91%) told no one at the time 

Suffering

Everyone is talking but CHRIST listen to what they are saying!

One day we will all realise how stupid we are being

Everyone is in pain

Everyone is suffering

Hearing one another's suffering helps us to escape from our own - it is addictive.

One day I was attacked and I started to suffer

The pain eats away from the inside out

We have to come together now

But really together

WAIT ...CONSIDER...THIS

ALL TOGETHER

Art by the wonderful Emma Sullivan

Horrible Stories

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eqkwNRI6KQ&feature=related

Stage at the Fringe

The Monkey House, ZOO Venues