"Rape crisis must be addressed" says London MEP

4.33.52pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 9th Aug 2005

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP is backing a campaign calling on the government to address the UK's current "rape crisis."

The "Rape Crisis Petition," run by Glamour Magazine in conjunction with the Observer, comes on the back of the alarming statistic that out of over 50 000 women who were raped in the UK in 2002, there were only 655 successful prosecutions.

Sarah Ludford said:

"If this appalling situation is to improve, there must be a real change of attitude. Too many women who are raped refuse to go to the police for fear of being told that they have somehow "asked for it". It is often not realised that the vast majority of rapists are known to their victims, and are often friends, colleagues or even partners.

As European justice spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats, I am actively involved in promoting women's rights in places like the Balkans, Turkey and Iraq. If British words are not to ring hollow abroad, we must act now to ensure that rape is treated as an exceptionally serious crime by those in power in this country."

Notes

The Glamour Magazine/ Observer Rape Crisis Petition is calling on the government to

• train more dedicated rape prosecutors to deal with rape cases

• establish a nationwide, 24 hour rape phone line

• set up Sexual Assault Referral Centres in all major cities to provide adequate facilities for examining victims

• raise awareness through a national rape campaign.

Related Link:

To sign the petition please click here.