Latest news with #RapeCrisis
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Serious concerns are raised over self-swab 'DIY' rape kits being issued to university students
A rape support charity has raised 'serious concerns' over self-swab 'rape kits' being marketed to UK university students. The kits mean people who have been sexually assaulted or raped can swab themselves and ship it to a lab so the DNA of an alleged attacker can be tested. Some of the samples can be stored and frozen for up to two decades, and if police are later notified of an incident it can be given to a respective force. In recent months, these kits have now been shared with students across UK universities. Companies have said such kits provide victims a simpler way to report rape, while also saying they act as a deterrent. But Rape Crisis England and Wales have issued a stark warning, while raising several concerns with the way the rape kits functioned. In a statement via their website, it cited fears the kits gave victims 'false hope' as self-collected evidence might not hold up in criminal court. 'Although a self-swab kit might seem like a good idea, evidence collection needs to be done in a safe and legally compliant way for it to have most use in criminal trials,' it said. 'There is far more evidence than DNA which is relevant in a situation where a survivor chooses to pursue criminal justice, and which can and should be collected if that's the right option for her. 'At-home kits can't offer that level of protection and may give survivors false hope that any evidence they gather could be relied on in a criminal trial.' Evidence is made reliable when it is carried out in professional forensic medical examinations, where the area is controlled and forensically cleaned to avoid contamination, according to the charity. And unlike medical examinations, self-swab kits can't collect all evidence needed, including, injuries, clothing, blood samples and medical findings. While the kits are able to collect DNA evidence, Rape Crisis also said its rarely used in trails and can't prove any interaction was non-consensual. 'More importantly, survivors need specialist, trauma-informed support to help them understand their options in the short, medium and longer term after rape or any form of sexual abuse,' it said. They also have a low conviction rate for rape, with five of six victims in the UK opting not to report a sexual assault. Last year, 2.7 percent of the 71,227 rapes recorded by police ended in perpetrators being charged. Firms selling the self-swab 'rape' kits said they give victims of sexual assault a 'simpler, easier way to report and create real deterrence'. Enough, a firm selling such kits for £20 online and has been giving them to University of Bristol students for free, said their aim 'is deterrence not immediate criminal justice'. The company claimed 70 percent of university students they surveyed at Bristol said the kits had prevented acts of sexual violence on campus. In the last half-a-year, more than 200 reports were made, the not-for profit claimed, with 90 percent of Bristol students saying they were aware of Enough, the firm told The Independent. Katie White, the Enough co-founder said: 'Survivors are asking for Enough. The most common question they ask is "how does this not already exist?" They thank Enough for stopping young women being raped.' On their website, it encouraged survivors to report the incident to police or to attend a SARC first, so they can get a full forensic examination. It also said while their kits were made by the same forensic experts who make them for the police, there was no guarantee self-collected evidence would be admissible in court. It comes after the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Rape Crisis issued a statement last year saying they did not support the kits. They said it could 'put survivors at risk' if they weren't informed with the correct knowledge.
The Independent
21-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Warning over self-swab ‘rape kits' marketed to university students
Self-swab 'rape kits' are being marketed to university students in the UK, allowing individuals to collect and store DNA evidence of an alleged perpetrator. Rape Crisis England and Wales, along with forensic experts, have expressed serious concerns that evidence collected by these kits may not be legally admissible due to contamination risks and lack of comprehensive forensic examination. Critics warn that the kits could give survivors 'false hope' regarding legal outcomes, as professional forensic examinations are conducted in controlled environments and include broader evidence collection. Companies selling the kits, such as 'Enough', claim they act as a deterrent to sexual violence and offer a simpler reporting method, with some students reporting positive perceptions. Beyond legal admissibility, concerns also include the kits' inability to provide the crucial trauma-informed, in-person support that survivors need, which is offered by specialist support services.
The Independent
21-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Self-swab ‘rape kits' being marketed at students a ‘serious concern'
Rape support groups have expressed 'serious concerns' over self-swab 'rape kits' being marketed towards university students in the UK. The kits allow people who have been sexually assaulted or raped to take a swab themselves and send it off to a lab to be tested for the DNA of the alleged perpetrator. Half the sample is frozen and can be kept for up to 20 years and handed to the police if the incident is later reported. Such kits have been handed out to students on UK university campuses in recent months, with companies saying the kits act as a deterrent and provide a simpler way to report a rape. However, Rape Crisis England and Wales has warned that although the kits might seem like a good idea, there are concerns about how they work. It warned survivors that the kits may not be able to collect the evidence needed to prove rape and that any evidence gathered may not be legally admissible - giving them 'false hope' that it could help in a legal case. 'Rape Crisis England & Wales (RCEW) are aware that in parts of the country, self-swab 'rape kits' are beingmarketed to students and universities as a way for survivors – primarily, but not always, women and girls - to report rape, and to deter rapists,' a statement issued by Rape Crisis said. 'Although a self-swab kit might seem like a good idea, evidence collection needs to be done in a safe and legally compliant way for it to have most use in criminal trials.' It added: 'At-home kits can't offer that level of protection and may give survivors false hope that any evidence they gather could be relied on in a criminal trial.' It said this was because professional forensic medical examinations take place in forensically cleaned, controlled environments with strict rules to avoid contamination, making the evidence reliable. Unlike self-swab kits, they also include assessments of injuries, clothing, blood samples, and other medical findings. The kits have emerged amid a low rate of convictions for rape, with as many as five in six UK victims choosing not to report a rape at all. In 2024, 71,227 rapes were recorded by police, but only 2.7 per cent of these had resulted in charges by the end of the year. Companies selling the kits say they provide survivors with a 'simpler, easier way to report and create real deterrence'. Enough, a company that has handed out free kits at the University of Bristol and also sells them online for £20, says their main aim is to act as a deterrent, not to provide criminal justice. It told The Independent that 70 per cent of polled students in Bristol said the kits had prevented sexual violence on campus, 90 per cent are aware of the not-for-profit and over 200 reports have been made in just six months. 'Survivors are asking for Enough. The most common question they ask is 'how does this not already exist?' They thank Enough for stopping young women being raped.' Katie White, the Enough co-founder said. Its website says that if a person is seeking to report a rape to the police, they should go to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) first. It also says that leading KCs had confirmed DNA evidence collected by its kits - which are made by the same forensic experts that make them for the police - may be admissible at trial, but there are no guarantees of this. Rape Crisis said while these self swap kits may provide DNA evidence, it is rarely used in rape trials as they cannot prove any activity was non consensual. Although Enough points people to where they can get further support on its website, Rape Crisis also raised concerns that the kits don't offer specialist, in-person support: 'Survivors need trauma-informed care, reassurance, and to be heard and believed. A self-swab kit can't provide emotional support or explain next steps, but a trained support worker in a Rape Crisis centre, or an Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) can.' Rape Crisis is the latest organisation to voice its concern over the kits, after the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (FFLM) issued a joint statement on the issue last year. It said it did not currently support the use of self-swab kits, and it could 'put survivors at risk' if they did not have the correct information.
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Wildest Loose Women moments amid ITV's ‘bloodbath' from C-bombs to celeb wars
As ITV axes jobs and trims Loose Women to 30 weeks a year, we look back at the show's wildest moments from C-bomb chaos to celebrity feuds—that made headlines and shook daytime TV As ITV's daytime lineup faces a shake-up, with sweeping job cuts dubbed a 'bloodbath' threatening nearly half of its staff, it's hard not to reflect on the rollercoaster year Loose Women has delivered on screen. Whilst the show's future is uncertain, it is known for its lively debates and candid revelations, which have created some of the most bizarre, emotional, and headline-grabbing moments. Many are in shock at the news that nearly 220 staff members could lose their jobs across ITV 's daytime schedule, affecting flagship shows like Loose Women, Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, and This Morning. Loose Women itself is being cut back to a 'seasonal' schedule of 30 weeks a year in cost-saving measures. But before the dust settles on these dramatic changes, there have been some truly unforgettable moments that made Loose Women a must-watch, from shocking confessions to celebrity clashes. Loose Women is no stranger to controversy, with many moments that have made headlines across the country. Here's a look at the bizarre and unforgettable moments that kept viewers glued to their screens: 'Rapist sympathising' storm Judy Finnigan made a controversial debut in 2014 when she spoke about footballer Ched Evans' rape conviction appeal, saying: 'The rape was not violent, he didn't cause any bodily harm to the person.' Outraged viewers accused her of sympathising with a rapist. She later clarified: 'I absolutely wasn't suggesting that rape was anything other than an horrendous crime... I was in no way attempting to minimise the terrible ordeal that any woman suffers as a result.' Earlier in 2006, the Irish Independent reported that Loose Women conducted a poll asking viewers whether they believed rape could ever be a woman's fault. The poll was met with widespread criticism from viewers and organizations such as Rape Crisis, leading ITV to issue an apology, acknowledging the poll as "misjudged". The C-bomb scandal In 2016, Katie Price 's son Harvey shocked viewers when he joined the show to talk about online bullying. Asked how he'd respond to trolls, he said: 'Hello, you c***.' Katie quickly reacted with, 'Erm, Harvey!', as Andrea McLean stepped in to apologise for the language. Gay rights row In 2015, Coleen Nolan sparked fury by defending a bakery that refused to decorate a cake supporting same-sex marriage. She compared it to being asked to make a cake with an ISIS message, saying: 'Would they have to make that?' The comments prompted outrage, with viewers demanding she be sacked, though no action was taken. Joan Rivers' swear-filled red carpet rant Comedy legend Joan Rivers didn't hold back in 2008 when asked about her Hollywood encounters: 'You get someone like Russell Crowe, and you want to say to the camera, ' He is a piece – get ready to bleep this – of f****** s***!'' Her panellist pals had to scramble to apologise, with Jane McDonald quipping: 'We haven't got a bleeper. We're live!' Fat-shaming fury Janet Street-Porter faced backlash in 2022 after saying Wayne Rooney looked like he was 'about to explode' out of his suit during the Wagatha Christie trial. Angry viewers branded her 'vile', with one asking: 'Imagine if she was saying that about a woman?' Continuing with the theme of fat-shaming, in 2015, the BBC reported Jamelia faced criticism after stating that high street stores shouldn't stock clothes for individuals above a certain size, suggesting that it encourages unhealthy lifestyles. She later apologised, clarifying that her comments were taken out of context. Katie Price's bum flash Viewers were left open-mouthed in 2016 when Katie Price modelled a high-slit dress during a fashion segment and accidentally flashed her bum on live TV. Some called it 'awkward viewing' – others hailed her figure as 'amazing". Kim Woodburn walks out Tensions erupted in 2018 when Kim Woodburn stormed off set, branding Coleen Nolan 'lying trash' and calling her a 'piece of filth' after a brutal on-air clash. The explosive row prompted over 3,000 Ofcom complaints, with Kim later claiming she'd been ambushed. Coleen and the panel said they had "genuinely hoped for a reconciliation". Charlotte Crosby's nose job clash Charlotte Crosby vowed never to return after feeling 'bullied' over her nose job in 2016. In an awkward grilling, Janet Street-Porter asked: 'What message does that send to teenage girls who… might think, 'My nose has a lump in it but I haven't got four grand to spend'?' Charlotte told new! Magazine: 'It was a horrible experience. I cried before and afterwards. I was bullied. I'm never going on again in my life.' Josie Cunningham's abortion for nose job confession In 2015, there was outrage and a public backlash after Josie Cunninham revealed that she had an abortion so that she could get nose job to further her porn career. Jane Moore heavily criticised her being on the show, stating: "I was very uncomfortable with you coming on the show today. I don't like the fact that you are on the show. It's not because I don't like you. "You need help as far as I'm concerned, to actually look at yourself and say, 'Why do I have such a low opinion of myself that I think that porn and all of this'…you don't have any self-esteem and when you look in the mirror I feel that you will never like what you see."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chemical castration for sex offenders may horrify the masses but I'm delighted
Chemical castration. State I first read the headlines I thought it must surely be a metaphor for Trump's erratic (definitely not erotic) foreign policy. Or perhaps a particularly unpleasant news story from Kazakhstan where they still play blood-drenched polo with a decapitated goat. But no. It's happening here in Britain – a pilot scheme to use chemical castration on sex offenders has been operational in prisons in the south-west of England since 2022. And it will be rolled out to 20 new prisons if Shabana Mahmood, our Justice Secretary, has her way. Hang on, Labour? I should have thought it was more on-brand as a Reform policy, but hey, this Government is performing so many U-turns it's hard to know which direction it's facing at any given time. Other than Brussels. Anyway, when the truth dawned about chemical castration on this sceptred isle (talk about cognitive dissonance), I'm not going to lie: I was torn between horror and elation and a palpable sense of relief that Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died the same year the trial started, probably wasn't briefed on the particulars. Horror because are we not civilised people who invented warm beer and, um, Empire? A nation of cricket grounds and old maids bicycling to Holy Communion? Elation because those rain-coated pervs will never again flash our beloved spinsters once they're singing falsetto in the schola cantorum. (Yes, I know castrati were operated on pre-puberty to preserve their treble pitch but I just wanted to mention they were typically dosed with opium, laid in a hot bath and had their tiny little testes either crushed by hand, twisted or snipped to sever the blood supply.) So in light of that procedure, how could anyone possibly object to sexual-suppression chemicals being given to convicted sex offenders? These would be administered by injection, implant or orally. Believe me, there are worse ways. I grew up among Irish farming folk and I can't unsee the things I witnessed. Back in the late 1970s, 'Burdizzos' were the thing; essentially a pair of large metal pliers that were clamped round a young bullock's scrotum to crushing point as the farmer counted to 20. On each side. You were supposed to hear a discernible crunch but it was hard to hear anything over the distraught creature's anguished bellow. After release, it went back to amiably eating grass. All sorted. Forever. Chemical castration for prisoners? A breeze! It's not even permanent. Unfortunately. Now, I am quite sure there are Dear Readers out there crossing their legs who are also really very cross at my upbeat tone. I will, of course, be accused by various chaps of sexism for my attitude towards emasculation. To them I say this: any woman, which is to say the vast majority, who has been sexually assaulted will have a very different perspective on the sanctity of a man's genitalia. Figures from Rape Crisis show that in England and Wales 71,227 rapes were reported to police in 2024. The same year, charges were brought in just 2.7 per cent of those cases – that's fewer than three of every 100 rapes recorded. It is a deeply depressing fact of modern life that rape is so commonplace and the treatment of victims by our justice system so demeaning that five out of six women who are raped don't report it – that's an additional 356,135 women every year. Sisters, mothers, daughters. Every one of my girlfriends will openly say they know someone who has been raped (for a troubling number that 'someone' is themselves), so how can it be that not a single one of their husbands and partners knows anyone who has committed rape? Sarah Everard, a talented, shining 33-year-old, was kidnapped, raped and murdered by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens in 2021. Long before he committed this heinous crime he was nicknamed 'the rapist' by colleagues. Because they thought it was funny. A shocking number of men joke about sexual depravity. In 2022, the Met had to deny the force was plagued by misogyny after an official report revealed shocking details of police officers sharing 'banter' about hitting and raping women. And these are just the men tasked with protecting us. So forgive me – or don't, I'm honestly not that bothered – for applauding the prospect of chemical castration for sex offenders and paedophiles. The pilot scheme currently under way is voluntary but, looking ahead, Mahmood will apparently consider overhauling medical laws in order to compel sex offenders to take libido-supressing drugs. I do have concerns, primarily about the way this treatment has been linked to the early release of prisoners in order to free up spaces in our overcrowded jails. The idea that simply taking medication would allow serious sex offenders to walk free early and spend less time behind bars is absolutely unacceptable. The Justice for Victims campaign group has already voiced its concern that proper efforts have not been made to place the needs of victims and families at the heart of sentencing policy. Another complicating factor is that rape can be a crime of anger and control; any sexual gratification is purely secondary, something that must be taken into account on a case by case basis. This then is a policy we will need to keep a close eye on. But in the meantime, in the public spirit of London 2012 Games Makers who happily herded the crowds or indeed the lockdown snitches who dobbed in their friends and neighbours during Covid, I'd be more than happy to volunteer for chemical castration duties. Just pass me the pills, the syringe or implants and I'll do the rest. And just in case there's trouble, I'll bring along a Burdizzo. A bit rusty, admittedly, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to hear the crunch… Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
