21/06/2011 Equality and Non-Discrimination
“The media have a key role to play in challenging the myths that persist in the portrayal of rape, which influence the public’s perception of this crime”, said the Eaves NGO representative Heather Harvey in Strasbourg today, at a meeting of the network of PACE contact parliamentarians actively combating violence against women.
“It is often the most sensational cases of rape – for example those involving celebrities – that are reported by the media, whereas most perpetrators of rape are to be found in the victim’s immediate family or social surroundings”, she added. “There are many stereotypes about both victims and perpetrators; a victim whose social behaviour is at odds with the image of the perfect woman, or who has perhaps in the past been involved in some form of trouble “doesn’t deserve to be taken seriously”. Similarly, the image portrayed of rapists is often that of a person under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or ex-prisoners or migrants.
Lee Eggleston, Chairwoman of the NGO Rape Crisis (England and Wales), stressed the need for appropriate victim support, especially the importance of advice on how to navigate through the criminal proceedings process. She also believes that the media have a responsibility to reassert a number of truths, i.e. rape is sexual violence and cannot be justified in any way; the rapist bears the entire responsibility for the act; there are no circumstances in which the victim “encourages” the rape. Ms Eggleston believes that the media are less interested in sexual violence in itself than in the personal background of the victims or perpetrators; they should focus on an objective presentation of the facts, and not portray the incident from the standpoint of the victim or rapist.
In conclusion, Carlo Chiaromonte, Secretary to the Committee of Experts responsible for drafting the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, presented the provisions of the convention relevant to the discussion. He referred to the prevention aspect, the media's role in the adoption of guidelines to prevent violence against women, in victim support and in the whole issue of consent. He also quoted Article 54 of the Convention, which encourages member states to take the necessary legislative measures to ensure that in any civil or criminal proceedings, evidence relating to the sexual history and conduct of the victim is admissible only when relevant and necessary.