Campaigns against rape and sexual assault (2007)

Why do we still campaign against rape and sexual assault?

Approximately 80,000 women are raped or suffer attempted rape each year (Walby & Allen 2004)

Around 85% of rapes are never reported to the police, and the conviction rate for the cases reported is less that 6% in England and Wales (Cross Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence & Abuse, April 2007)

95% of women do not feel safe on the streets at night and 73% worry about being raped (More magazine, 2005)

There are only 49 rape crisis centres left in England and none in Wales.

Reclaim The Night 2007

16 Days begins with the annual Reclaim The Night March. Organised by the London Feminist Network, the march is a demonstration of support for victims of rape and a demand for change and justice. The event empowers women to reclaim their right to walk the streets without fear of rape or harassment. The event also garners media attention to bring the issues of gender inequalities and violence against women to the general public. Reclaim The Night 2006 saw over a thousand women march from Trafalgar Square, through the West Endpast a branch of Spearmint Rhino, and ended up at University of London Student Union for a mixed rally. Reclaim The Night is supported by a number of organisations including Abortion Rights, GLDVP, NUS Women, Women's Resource Centre, Forward and various domestic violence fora.

For more information, please visit http://www.reclaimthenight.org/

I Did Not Ask For It

Run by the London Feminist Network, I Did Not Ask For It is a campaign blog that asks women to submit photographs of the clothes they were wearing when the were sexually harassed or assaulted. The campaign dispels any myths around such statements as, 'Well, if you must wear a skirt that short…' It doesn't matter what you wear, or where or with whom, it is about power and control. The first airing of laundry will take place at Reclaim The Night 2007 when the I Did Not Ask For It washing line will be marched to make a very public statement.

For more information, please visit ididnotaskforit.wordpress.com

ReSisters

Run by the London Centre for Personal Safety, ReSisters is a blog that invites women to share their stories of resisting violence, from verbal abuse on a train to bullying at work to rape and sexual assault. Contrary to some prescriptive self-defence courses that reinforce women as potential victims (if you weren't scared before you took the course, you will be afterwards) the London Centre for Personal Safety empowers women to continue to go about and live their daily lives and equips them with skills to defend themselves safely if the need arises. ReSisters is a celebration of the courage and resilience of women that often goes unrecognised by the women themselves.

For more information, please visit http://www.resisting-violence.blogspot.com/

ORGANISATIONS & WEBSITES

End Violence Against Women

http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/

The Lilith Project

http://www.eaves4women.co.uk/Lilith_Project/Lilith_Project.php

London Feminist Network

http://www.ldnfeministnetwork.ik.com/

Rape is…

http://www.rapeis.org/

Rape Crisis

http://www.rapecrisis.org.uk/