Myth or Reality?

Rape and all forms of sexual violence are still taboo subjects that arent often spoken about and the reluctance to acknowledge any of this results in misinformations and myths being formed. 
Survivors often struggle with many feelings of shame, guilt and self-blame and so find it difficult to open up to people about their experiences.
At Rape Crisis (W, C & SB) we are committed to supporting our women to feel safe, secure, believed and to help them to gain the confidence they need to speak out, so we aim to dispel all myths and raise awareness and understanding of sexual violence everywhere.

     Myth: "Women are most
   likely to be raped outside,
   after dark and by a stranger,
    so shouldnt go out alone 
    at night"

  Myth: "Only young,   
 attractive women and       
 girls, who are flirtatious   
 and wear tight clothes are
 raped."

       Myth: "If two people have   
    had sex with each other
    before, it's always ok to 
           have sex again"

  Myth:"When it comes
  to sex, women and
 girls sometimes play '
 'hard to get' and say
 'no' when they really 
    mean 'yes'...."

     Actually, only 10% of rapes are
    committed by strangers. Around
    90% of rapes are committed by
     people known to survivors.
    People can be raped anywhere
     and perpertrators can be
     anybody! Risk of rape shouldnt
    be used as an excuse to control 
    women's movements, rights 
              and freedom.

   Rape is an act of violence
  and control and has very
  little to do with someone's   
  appearance or what they
  are wearing! There is no
  excuse for sexual violence
  and what someone was
  wearing at the time is
   totally irrelevant!

          Consent must be given   
         EVERYTIME two people
        engage in sexual contact,
        even if they are in a
        relationship.

        Partners can commit rape
               & sexual assault.

Everybody has the right to say
'NO' to sex and change their
 mind at any point of sexual
contact; if the other person
then doesn't stop then they are committing sexual assault or
 rape. If someone says no.......
         they mean no!

           Myth: "Once a man is
       sexually aroused, he     
        can't help himself.
           He needs to have sex"

    The vast majority of those   
   who are sexually abused
   as children will never   
   perpetrate sexual violence 
   against others. There is no   
   excuse for any form of 
   sexual violence against   
        anyone!

   Myth: "Alcohol, drugs,
  stress and depression
  can turn people into
        rapists"

   Myth:"Somebody who
  has drank lots of alcohol
 or taken drugs shouldn't 
 complain about being
           raped."

    Myth:"It is only rape
       if someone is
  physically forced into
   sex and have the
  injuries to show for it."

      Myth: "Men of certain
     races and backgrounds
    are more likely to commit
       sexual violence."

  In law, consent must be fully and
 freely given by someone with the
capacity to do so. If a person is
unconscious or incapacitated
through alcohol or drugs then they
are unable to give their consent
to sex. Having sex with someone in
this situation is therefore classed as
rape!100% of the responsibility lies
     with the perpetrator!

    Sometimes people sustain
  injuries from being raped and
  sometimes they don't. Many
  people who are sexually
  attacked are unable to move
  or speak from fear or shock.
  Just because somebody
  doesn't have visible injuries
  doesn't mean that they weren't     
                        raped!

  There is no typical rapist.
 People who commit sexual
 violence come from all
 economic, ethnic, racial,
  age and social groups.

    Nothing is ever the   
  cause of rape except
   for the perpetrator.

    There are   
          "no excuses"

           Myth: "Once a man is
       sexually aroused, he     
        can't help himself.
           He needs to have sex"

         Men can quite easily
      control their urges! They
      do not need to rape     
      someone to satisfy them.   
      Rape is an act of violence
       and control, not
        sexual gratification.

     Myth: "People often lie
   about being raped because
   they regret having sex with 
   someone or they do it out of
   spite or for attention."

    Unbalanced media focus on
false rape allegations perpetuates
the public perception that lying about sexual violence is common.
 That is untrue! False allegations
of rape are very rare and a vast
majority of survivors choose not to 
 report it to the police because
  they fear that they won't be
                    believed.

   Myth: "People who were   
   sexually abused as
   children are likely to
   become abusers         
          themselves."

      Myth: "Men don't get   
     raped and women 
    dont commit sexual                      offences"

    The vast majority of those   
   who are sexually abused
   as children will never   
   perpetrate sexual violence 
   against others. There is no   
   excuse for any form of 
   sexual violence against   
        anyone!

 
     The majority of sexual assaults and
  rapes are committed by men against
  women and children but there is a small
  number of women who do commit sexual
  violence. Often people that have been
  abused by a woman are particularly
  fearful that they won't be believed or their 
  experiences won't be as bad as being
  raped by a man. Every experience is just
  as difficult to deal with and each person
  and their experience is just as
       important as everyone else!