Quote:Three quarters of sexual offence victims report being asked at least one question in court based on what campaigners say are rape myths and stereotypes, according to recent research from Victim Support. These include being asked what they did to stop the assault, about drinking or taking drugs, and what they were wearing.

Quote:For every 100 rapes recorded by the police in England and Wales, fewer than two will result in a guilty verdict.

One reason is that an estimated 60% of people who report being raped drop out of the justice system before their trial takes place. After reporting their assault to the police, victims can be left for months or even years waiting for their attacker to be charged. It then takes an average of two years for the case to get to trial, according to the Criminal Bar Association.

Quote:After surveying more than 3,000 people, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded that “the public’s accurate understanding of rape is outweighed by false beliefs, misunderstanding, lack of knowledge, and underlying stereotypes”.

Fewer than half of those surveyed could identify common rape myths and perceptions, and one in 10 agreed that it was up to women to take precautions against rape.