Rape myths shape how we respond to sexual violence. What are they and what impact do they have?
The NSW government is moving to curb rape myths in trials to reduce the impact on victim-survivors and increase the likelihood of justice being done.
Rape myths are pervasive false beliefs that minimize, erase or justify men's acts of sexual violence. These myths often revolve around an idea of "real rape" - a strict set of conditions that must be met for a rape to be taken seriously. This script dictates that only a specific, ideal victim can be believed, typically a young, conventionally attractive woman violently attacked in a public place.
However, this is a myth - there is no single "real rape" and every experience of sexual violence is unique. The reality is that rape myths contribute to a failure in the legal system to hold perpetrators accountable, with only 8% of women who have been raped or sexually assaulted reporting it to police in 2021/22, a rate that has more than halved since 2012.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
