The Guardian have published criticisms made by the Northumbria police and crime commissioner Dame Vera Baird in response to comments made by a retiring judge Lindsey Kushnar. Judge Kushman said victims of rape who had been drinking are less likely to be believed than those who were sober. Dame Vera Baird believes the comments made by judge Kushman were ‘victim blaming’ and may stop women coming forward to the police if they were raped and had been drinking. The full article is available here