ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
In Lambeth, we have one of the highest rates of rape and sexual violence in London with a 30% increase in reported rape in 2009/10 to 173 incidents – far higher than the London-wide increase.
A significant number of rapes reported this year have involved suspects who have briefly known the victim and are classified by the Metropolitan Police Service as stranger 2 incidents. For example, the victim and suspect may have met at a club, party or bar. Many of the incidents are connected to the night time economy in Brixton Town Centre, Clapham High Street and Streatham, as well as public transport. Offences are most likely to occur from Friday to Sunday nights.
This year's Review on Sexual Violence by Baroness Stern, criticises campaigns which attempt to reduce the number of rapes purely by providing safety and awareness messages to women and thereby placing a degree of responsibility for the suspect’s actions on the victim, inferring that some of the responsibility for being raped is theirs because they have chosen to walk home alone, been drinking or worn something provocative.
Our campaign
The aims of our campaign are to:
- increase understanding of the law around rape, particularly the issue around consent
- encourage women to report rape and other sexual assaults, as well as promote awareness of support services available to victims.
Our campaign is focussed on behaviour and attitude change amongst men. We know that not all men are rapists or sexual predators and we in no way wish to suggest that they are. But we know that rapes and sexual offences are being committed in Lambeth by men. We know that there is confusion over the law, particularly around consent. We know that there is confusion about what is acceptable behaviour.
'Know the difference' is aimed at young men who socialise in Lambeth – particularly Brixton and Clapham – both hot spot areas for this crime. It is aimed at encouraging men to make sure that they know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and to draw their attention to the legal and social consequences of their actions.