Make reporting safe to dismantle systemic rape culture | Rebecca Weeks | TEDxSurreyUniversity
Reporting sexual abuse in the UK is currently unsafe due to systemic rape culture, which is perpetuated by authorities who often discourage victims from reporting and shift blame onto the victims' behavior. The speaker argues that mandatory reporting in schools is necessary to dismantle this culture, as current systems fail perpetrators and leave victims vulnerable to shaming and disbelief. This systemic failure is evidenced by the Guardian reporting that less than 2 of reported rapes lead to a charge in England and Wales. ## Speakers & Context - Unnamed speaker; addressing the issue of systemic rape culture in the UK. - Drawing on personal testimony from being raped at age 15 and being advised by police not to report. - Addressing the underreporting of sexual abuse and sexual violence in the UK. ## Theses & Positions - The core issue is *systemic rape culture*: cultural norms and institutions that protect rapists, shame victims, promote impunity, and demand unreasonable sacrifices from women. - The current system is flawed because it does not view sexual abuse and sexual violence as a serious crime, allowing perpetrators to walk free. - The blame for sexual violence is wrongly placed on the victim's behavior (e.g., wearing short skirts, using headphones). - Mandatory reporting in schools is necessary because the current system is too traumatizing and unsafe for victims to trust. - The issue is not merely about men, but a broader societal failure to support survivors, which is highlighted by dismissing the "not all men" defense. ## Concepts & Definitions - **Rape culture:** Cultural norms and institutions that protect rapists, shame victims, promote impunity, and demand that women make unreasonable sacrifices to avoid sexual assault. - **Systemic rape culture:** A state where authorities actively discourage victims from reporting crimes against them. - **Statutory mandatory reporting duty:** A potential legal requirement for specified practitioners or organizations to report child abuse or neglect if they know or have reasonable cause to suspect it. - **Impunity:** The state of exemption from punishment or loss of accountability. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Police advice at age 15:** The speaker was advised by a police officer not to wear headphones when walking home alone, and that her GCSE biology folder could look like a laptop, increasing her vulnerability. - **Discouragement tactics:** Authorities advising victims *not* to report or that reporting "won't lead to anything." - **Systemic failure mechanism:** The criminal justice system fails because perpetrators are often given priority over the protection of the child, heightening the power imbalance between victim and perpetrator. - **De-platforming victims:** Blaming victims by suggesting they need to change their law-abiding behavior (e.g., "don't drink," "don't travel alone"). ## Timeline & Sequence - **Age 15:** First experience being raped while walking home from school, resulting in advice from police regarding headphones and carrying folders. - **Historical context:** Discussion of the 2016 government consultation document regarding mandatory reporting. - **Present:** A current national crisis regarding the underreporting of sexual abuse and sexual violence. ## Named Entities - **NSPCC:** Suggested figure of 1 in 20 children sexually abused in the UK. - **Rape Crisis:** Reported that approximately 85,000 women and 12,000 men experience rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault by penetration in England and Wales alone every year. - **The Guardian:** Reported that less than 2 of reported rapes lead to a charge in England and Wales. ## Numbers & Data - Age of first sexual assault: **15 years old**. - Reported rape/sexual assault count (England & Wales): Approx. **85,000 women** and **12,000 men** annually. - Underreporting statistic (NSPCC): Around **1 in 20 children** sexually abused in the UK. - Conversion rate in England & Wales: Less than **2** reported rapes lead to a charge. ## Examples & Cases - **Personal anecdote (Age 15):** Incident where police advised speaker not to wear headphones and that her GCSE biology folder could entice an attacker. - **Legal system failure:** The current reality that less than 2 out of reported rapes lead to a charge in England and Wales. - **Power Imbalance:** Cases of child sexual abuse often involving a family member perpetrator, making children feel pressure regarding potential family fallout. - **The "Not all men" statement:** Used as an example of a statement that completely misses the point and dismisses the voices of survivors. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - Critics argue that men's lives are ruined by fake reports or women's malicious lies. - Some argue that reporting "isn't for everyone" or "won't lead to anything." - Respondents in the 2016 consultation argued mandatory reporting would divert attention from the most serious cases. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - Must change the system to make reporting safe for all children. - Must fight for mandatory reporting in schools where systemic rape culture begins. - Goal is to ensure that all children who are victims can trust the criminal justice system. - Need to train institutions so that victims are acknowledged, believed, and not judged or invalidated. ## Implications & Consequences - Continued failures allow perpetrators to walk free and re-offend time and time again. - The concept of mandatory reporting failing because "reporting isn't safe" is itself proof that the system is flawed. - Failure to address systemic issues means millions of victims are dealing with trauma on their own, and under-reporting remains a national crisis. ## Verbatim Moments - *"it is vital that we make reporting safe in the uk to help dismantle systemic rape culture"* - *"let me give you some advice he then told me that i shouldn't wear headphones when i walked home alone otherwise i wouldn't be able to hear footsteps coming"* - *"the police advised me to not report to leave it they told me that it wouldn't lead to anything and that it would cause me to lose control of my story"* - *"rape culture is the cultural norms and institutions that protect rapists shame victims promote impunity and demand that women make unreasonable sacrifices to avoid sexual assault"* - *"the onus on women to change their law abiding behavior and go out of their way to avoid sexual violence is not only wrong but also creates limitations on women's lives and opportunities"* - *"the Guardian recently reported that less than 2 of reported rapes lead to a charge in england and wales"* - *"the answer isn't to continue a system where children are terrified to report these horrific crimes against them"* - *"mandatory reporting in schools would save lives and we need to fight for the safety of every child"* - *"The statement not all men is unhelpful and highlights how people are more interested in discrediting and dismissing the voice of survivors then talking about the violent and discrimination mainly women and children face"*