“The police actually told me that most girls falsely accuse ex-boyfriends of rape as revenge for breaking up with them.'
On the flip side of presumptions about victim responses are another set of myths orbiting the idea that victims are “asking for it.” In other words, they must have consented because of how they behaved before the rape – from sexting the suspect or drinking alcohol to wearing revealing clothing.This is what Mia*, 29, was asked by an officer after giving her account of rape.
The impact of this kind of victim-blaming is extensive, says Gekoski. As well as deterring reporting, it could lead to victims dropping out later in the criminal justice process, making cases less likely to go to trial. Last year,For those that do go through the system, the effect of rape myths continues to ricochet.
which concludes that the effect of cultural attitudes on investigative decision-making “points to a system that is failing and needs a radical overhaul.”From slut-shaming in the playground to media reporting around rape, something needs to change.As well as investigative impacts, Dr Kelly Johnson, an academic linked with Soteria, says the prevalence of police rape myths could impact victim wellbeing and result in legal violations.
As for why this is happening, Johnson says there is increasing evidence that officers are anticipating jury adherence to rape myths. As a result, these myths could inform police decisions about which cases should be charged. Although a focus on ‘bad apples’ risks obscuring the cultural nature of the issue, individual misconceptions are a problem too, and “rape myths are firmly embedded in police culture,” says Gekoski, whose preliminary research suggests that men and older officers might be more susceptible.
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