SlutWalk London brought thousands onto the streets demanding protection for all rape survivors and prosecution for rapists. On 1 July, Slut Means Speak Up is targeting the Crown Prosecution Service(CPS) for its appalling track record on rape. Here’s the Facebook event: link FACTS: Over 90% of rapes are never reported.  Of those reported, only 6.7% end in conviction.  One in four women suffers domestic violence; at least two women a week are murdered by partners or ex-partners.  In up to 90% of attacks on mothers, children are present; in 45-70% the father is violent to the children too.  Over 30 women who reported rape have been disbelieved and imprisoned in the last 12 months.  Asylum seekers who report rape and other torture are often deported.  Sex workers who come forward risk prosecution.   We demand that the CPS: 1.    Stop prosecuting rape survivors for so-called false allegations, and prosecute rapists instead.   Compelling evidence of rape is ignored, lost or dismissed by biased and bungling police and prosecutors.  Survivors who have been prosecuted include: 1) Layla Ibrahim, a young woman attacked on the street and jailed for three years while pregnant; other rape survivors in the area have described a similar attacker. 2) Gail Sherwood, a 51-year-old mother of three jailed for two years after reporting being raped three times by an unknown stalker.  The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has refused to do anything to redress these miscarriages of justice.  But the CPS is doing a review of such prosecutions – let’s tell them what we think. 2.    Stop prosecuting sex workers working together for safety.  Drop the prosecution of Sheila Farmer. At Slutwalk, Ms Farmer described how after a vicious rape she couldn’t work alone.  The brothel-keeping law makes it illegal for women to work together.  But the CPS has discretion and must only prosecute when it is in the public interest.  Ms Farmer is seriously ill – a diabetic since childhood, she suffers from a brain tumour.  She could face a seven year prison sentence.  This has already aggravated her life-threatening condition.  Over 1000 people have emailed her MP that this prosecution is not in the public interest.  Black Women’s Rape Action Project, the English Collective of Prostitutes and Women Against Rape launched this protest at London SlutWalk as part of Slut Means Speak Up.  Let’s all turn up at the CPS on 1 July to say  we’ve had enough  … of being blamed for rape by police and courts, of being deprived of protection, of being denied resources and left vulnerable to exploitation and violence. If we don’t speak up, these injustices will continue and attackers will go free to rape again.  Please get this information to others.  Come to the protest with your banners and placards.  If you can’t come (or even if you can) write to the following policy-makers to demand change – police and prosecutors who don’t do their job should be sacked. Keir Starmer,  Director of Public Prosecutions   Privateoffice@cps.gsi.gov.uk   Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge London, SE1 9HS, Tel: 020 3357 0000   Jo Johnson, Sheila Farmer’s MP.  jo.johnson.mp@parliament.ukHouse of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA   Theresa May, Home Secretary  alexandra.shepherd@justice.gsi.gov.uk  Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk   Ken Clarke, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice secofstate@justice.gsi.gov.ukclarkek@parliament.uk   Lynne Featherstone, Minister for Equality at the Home Officepublicenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.ukfeatherstonel@parliament.uk   Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities coopery@parliament.uk mahilk@parliament.uk

SlutWalk London brought thousands onto the streets demanding protection for all rape survivors and prosecution for rapists.

On 1 July, Slut Means Speak Up is targeting the Crown Prosecution Service(CPS) for its appalling track record on rape.

Here’s the Facebook event: link

FACTS: Over 90% of rapes are never reported.  Of those reported, only 6.7% end in conviction.  One in four women suffers domestic violence; at least two women a week are murdered by partners or ex-partners.  In up to 90% of attacks on mothers, children are present; in 45-70% the father is violent to the children too.  Over 30 women who reported rape have been disbelieved and imprisoned in the last 12 months.  Asylum seekers who report rape and other torture are often deported.  Sex workers who come forward risk prosecution.  

We demand that the CPS:

1.    Stop prosecuting rape survivors for so-called false allegations, and prosecute rapists instead.  
Compelling evidence of rape is ignored, lost or dismissed by biased and bungling police and prosecutors.  Survivors who have been prosecuted include: 1) Layla Ibrahim, a young woman attacked on the street and jailed for three years while pregnant; other rape survivors in the area have described a similar attacker. 2) Gail Sherwood, a 51-year-old mother of three jailed for two years after reporting being raped three times by an unknown stalker.  The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has refused to do anything to redress these miscarriages of justice.  But the CPS is doing a review of such prosecutions – let’s tell them what we think.

2.    Stop prosecuting sex workers working together for safety.  Drop the prosecution of Sheila Farmer.
At Slutwalk, Ms Farmer described how after a vicious rape she couldn’t work alone.  The brothel-keeping law makes it illegal for women to work together.  But the CPS has discretion and must only prosecute when it is in the public interest.  Ms Farmer is seriously ill – a diabetic since childhood, she suffers from a brain tumour.  She could face a seven year prison sentence.  This has already aggravated her life-threatening condition.  Over 1000 people have emailed her MP that this prosecution is not in the public interest. 

Black Women’s Rape Action Project, the English Collective of Prostitutes and Women Against Rape launched this protest at London SlutWalk as part of Slut Means Speak Up.  Let’s all turn up at the CPS on 1 July to say  we’ve had enough  … of being blamed for rape by police and courts, of being deprived of protection, of being denied resources and left vulnerable to exploitation and violence.

If we don’t speak up, these injustices will continue and attackers will go free to rape again.  Please get this information to others.  Come to the protest with your banners and placards.  If you can’t come (or even if you can) write to the following policy-makers to demand change – police and prosecutors who don’t do their job should be sacked.

Keir Starmer,  Director of Public Prosecutions  
[email protected]   
Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge
London, SE1 9HS, Tel: 020 3357 0000

 

Jo Johnson, Sheila Farmer’s MP. 
[email protected]
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

 

Theresa May, Home Secretary 
[email protected]  
[email protected]

 

Ken Clarke, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice [email protected]
[email protected]

 

Lynne Featherstone, Minister for Equality at the Home Office
[email protected]
[email protected]

 

Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities

[email protected]

[email protected]


Donate to SlutWalk London 2012! We still need over £2,000 for a PA system, permits, stage etc.

A film against rape We are making a self-help film about rape which educates us instead of telling us to be ashamed.

SlutWalk London 2012!

Sheila Farmer's prosecution dropped

Photos: Tom Radenz and Claire Butler



Why SlutWalk London?


"I am walking because I was raped. I am walking because two thirds of people who answered a survey would say I am to blame for my rape. The only person to blame is the man who raped me.I am so angry with the lack of justice, the hundreds and thousands of rapists who walk away. I am angry because the survivors of rape are victimised again and again. If we report it (I did) we are forced to re-live it in horrendous detail several times over. We feel violated again when the CPS decides not to prosecute after all and he simply walks away. We are not victims. We were victims, for a moment in time. Now, we are survivors."

- Emily Jacob


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