Police back anti-rape campaign

POLICE in Rotherham have welcomed a new series of TV adverts aimed at educating people about rape and its consequences.The adverts, which will be launched on Channel 5 from 9pm this evening, depict a scenario where excessive alcohol confuses the parties in

POLICE in Rotherham have welcomed a new series of TV adverts aimed at educating people about rape and its consequences.

The adverts, which will be launched on Channel 5 from 9pm this evening, depict a scenario where excessive alcohol confuses the parties involved as to whether consent for sex has been given.

The idea behind the campaign is not only to help educate young men into understanding the need to seek consent, but also help young women to believe that the police and their partners understand their point of view and that if they report a crime, they will be believed.

There are two versions of the TV advert, one from a 'female' perspective and one from the 'male' side, showing different takes on the same incident.

South Yorkshire Police has a dedicated specialist investigation unit to handle rape cases, called Apollo, and works closely with partner agencies such as the Criminal Justice System and the Isis Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at Rotherham General Hospital.

Caroline Tubb, Area Rape Co-ordinator for CPS South Yorkshire, said: "We fully support this pro-active approach to raising awareness of issues surrounding rape.

"The effects of this offence can be devastating and it is important that those who have suffered rape feel confident to report the offence to the police."

Deborah Drury, SARC manager, said: "This is a difficult subject to talk about but it's really important that we raise awareness and provide information to people who have been raped and where they can receive help and support whether they want to report it or not."

"The campaign aims to offer some important safety advice in attempt to prevent these crimes happening."

Det Supt Adrian Teague, SYP's Director of Intelligence and Public Protection, said: "South Yorkshire Police is committed to tackling this type of crime, bringing offenders to justice and preventing further offences being committed."