New Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) published by the Welsh Government focusing on holding domestic abuse perpetrators

Dr Cerys Miles (Welsh Government) and Dr Karen De Claire (Cardiff Metropolitan University) have published a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) which specifically supports the Welsh Government’s previous strategy to ‘increase focus on holding persons to account and providing opportunities to change their behaviour around victim safety’.

The REA highlights issues relevant in previous research which includes researcher bias, methodological design, limitations/challenges of validity and reliability of evidence from domestic abuse perpetrators in services. The REA authors do not provide clear support for the efficacy of any one approach to domestic abuse. Instead the authors identify interventions which are promising, they consider the implications for commissioners of services, academics and practitioners. The authors call for more focus on ongoing and independent robust evaluations of existing perpetrator services and to test innovative ‘trauma informed’ approaches to treatment. They also point to the importance of including substance misuse treatment for perpetrators when relevant.

Contact: SocialJusticeResearch@gov.wales

Please access more information here.

New survey finds confusion over what rape is: reflecting juries decisions in the UK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The End Violence Against Women Coalition commissioned the YouGov survey examining attitutes to rape which included around 4,000 people across Great Britain

A new survey of attitudes to rape and sexual violence published reveals:

  • A third (33%) of people in Britain think it isn’t usually rape if a woman is pressured into having sex but there is no physical violence
  • A third of men think if a woman has flirted on a date it generally wouldn’t count as rape, even if she hasn’t explicitly consented to sex (compared with 21% of women)
  • A third of men also believe a woman can’t change her mind after sex has started
  • Almost a quarter (24%) think that sex without consent in long-term relationships is usually not rape (1).

Rachel Krys co-director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition commented that:

“This research shows that confusion and myths about rape are still very common, and this could explain why it’s hard for juries to make fair decisions if they don’t understand or agree with our laws on rape. It also shows that victims won’t necessarily be given the support they need from their family and friends, if the rape they experience isn’t understood as harmful or even as rape. Yet most people think the system is important and is working for victims of rape.”

You can access information on the findings of the survey here

You can read more about the media’s reaction to this survey here.