ACPO lines up for some Christmas victim blaming

A “rape awareness” campaign by the Association of Chief Police Officers has spawned some seriously victim-blaming coverage in the media.

Check out this headline in the Metro, for example, which admonishes “Don’t become a rape victim this Christmas”:

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(Thanks to Louise for the scan)

The campaign itself stresses that alcohol features as a “factor” in many rapes, according to Dave Whatton, Chief Constable of Cheshire, “whether it is consumed by the victim or the offender”.

I’d say that was already verging towards victim blaming – but it’s really telling that the media coverage has seized on only half of this equation, advising women on how not to be victims, not so much concentrating on the risk that consuming alcohol might contribute to a perpetrator raping someone.

Not that I’m holding my breath for a headline that swings around the focus, like, say: “Don’t become a rapist this Christmas”.

This whole episode reminds me of Sexual assault prevention tips guaranteed to work!