Squeamish Bikini
  • Home
  • Squeamish Features
  • Squeamish Reviews
  • Squeamish News
  • Squeamish Contact
  • About Squeamish

Rise in conviction Rates For Domestic Violence

23/7/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
More than a kitchen sink drama. Image: Micah Sittig
It's Monday, let's start the week with some positive news.

Conviction rates for domestic violence cases has risen from 69% in 2007-8 to 73% according to reports from the Crown Prosecution Service. Speaking on BBC Radio 4 today director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer, who implemented a 4 year strategy, said they were taking “steps on a long journey”. It is important to note, as Starmer has, that while this is important progress it is just that: progress. On average a woman will experience domestic violence a total of 30 times before she will report it, the statistics we have on domestic abuse are no doubt inaccurate because so many cases go unreported and unacknowledged.

As part of the 4 year strategy concerning violence against women and girls Starmer has identified, with the help of women's groups and charities such as Refuge, the problem of reporting cases. In another interview with the BBC "There is still a significant problem in terms of encouraging people to come forward." Starmer acknowledged that there are some women who have reported DV in the past only for the case to be dropped, making the idea of reporting seem futile. 

Sandra Horley of Refuge explained: “Some of these cases may not be reported to the police for a number of reasons, including women being too frightened to come forward. This leaves a huge number of domestic abuse cases that never reach the police and therefore the courts. For those who do report domestic violence the police response is often woefully inadequate.”

Perceptions need to change within both the police and public, when a hash-tag to raise awareness on Twitter concerning the reporting of rape began, #Ididnotreport a supportive and anonymous community sprang up. However anonymity also allowed some to take the opportunity to tweet “#Ididnotreport because I did not let myself become a victim”. Victim blaming is a serious issue that needs to be tackled urgently if we are going to encourage anyone (men or women) to report domestic abuse or violence.
 
Campaigns such as Lauren Luke and Refuge's Don't Cover It Up video is important to bring the subject into the open.  not just to give victims courage to report their abuse but to demonstrate how domestic violence or abuse can affect anybody, no matter what their class, character or education.

Unfortunately often when cases of violence against women is brought to light and reported on it is concerning what the woman did. Or whether the case in question was rape or rape-rape. A teenage girl is facing a jail sentence and fine for publicly naming her attackers. 'Oh, is that happening in one of those countries where women aren't even allowed to drive?' Nope, America (I strongly advise against reading the comments in the link)

Louisville teenager Savannah Dietrich was sexually assaulted in 2011 by 2 teenage boys who photographed the incident and shared the pictures. “For months, I cried myself to sleep. I couldn't go out in public places. You just sit there and wonder, who saw [the pictures], who knows?”

Dietrich's attackers pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual abuse and misdemeanour voyeurism. Judge Dee McDonald struck a deal with them that possibly does not match with the jail sentence and $500 fine Dietrich could get for naming her attackers.

In a bid to stand up for herself in place of the court who Dietrich feels has failed her she has taken matters in to her own hands as much as possible by tweeting her attackers' identities. For this Judge Dee McDonald believes she should be severely punished.

Admittedly this is a grey area, these young men are minors, but their crime was not minor. We don't know what their punishment was either but Dietrich feels it is a mere slap on the wrist and unsuitable for the crime committed. However the message 'in situations like this, don't be a hero' can easily be interpreted from the coverage and the consequences Dietrich will possibly face.  

How do you feel about reporting now?


Squeamish Kate

Useful links 


Refuge 
mensadviceline
Rise
submit to reddit
1 Comment
Squeamish Nicola
23/7/2012 02:11:44 am

It's terrifying to think that a woman will experience DV over 30 times before she will eventually report it. Although this is a depressing subject to talk about it needs to be addressed and it is definitely a good thing convictions are going up.

Last year i listened to a horrendous Radio 4 programme about woman who had been raped and they either hadn't reported it because they didn't think it would be considered rape or they had and even though there was overwhelming evidence somehow the attacker was still found innocent. This show shined light on to many issues surrounding this subject but I almost wished it had included some cases in which the attacker had been convicted. It almost made you feel like it was futile reporting such a thing and although I would like to believe I would report an incident if it happened to me, the programme I listened to certainly made me question that, which was unnerving.

Victim blaming is so infuriating and completely misplaced. The idea you can walk home on your own or wear anything you wan to is an insult to your right to do anything you want to do. It has no effect on anyone else and shouldn't even come into these matters. Thanks for putting up this post.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    September 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    Bah
    Books
    Feminist
    Food
    Geekery
    Good News
    Incredulous
    Kids Today
    Music
    Science

    RSS Feed


Squeamish Bikini

About
Contact us
Write for us

Newsletter

Picture
     Copyright © 2013