Renowned biological scientist Richard Dawkins commented on Twitter yesterday that “date rape is bad but stranger rape at knife-point is worse” which unsurprisingly triggered a huge negative response.
Mr Dawkins defense to those who have challenged him is that his remarks come under the umbrella of “syllogism” - a logical argument where the comparisons do not infer any endorsement of either side. However by making the statement whereby a comparison is made, whether or not one or other side is endorsed, has had the effect of hurting a lot of people’s feelings.
We know from neuroscience that it is not possible to change a feeling with a fact, so it is not surprising that Mr Dawkins argument is not getting any traction. Logical explanations are very limited when it comes to discussions and responses about rape. It is a heinous and complex crime. It violates the victim to the core of their being. There is no such thing as an ‘ordinary’ rape or an authentic rape or a legitimate rape. Rape is rape and it is brutal.
At the centre of rape and sexual violence is the abuse of power. The perpetrators of these monstrous crimes do not fear punishment. For lots of reasons these crimes go unreported.
According to SAVI (Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland; McGee H. et al 2002 Report), only 1 in 10 of all sexual crimes is reported and of the 1 in 10 only 10% go to court. Ireland has the highest attrition rate of 11 European Countries in sexual offences.
The trained volunteers at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre accompany victims of rape and sexual violence to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) in the Rotunda hospital. There has been an increase of 11.4% between the first six months of 2013 and the first six months of 2014.
A total of 117 victims were accompanied in the first six months of 2014. Each person accompanied is a sister, a brother, a daughter, a son etc… and someone you know. The victims would in the main, have reported these crimes to the Gardaí.
Some of the victims have experienced other forms of violence as well as the rapes but the victims who avail of the support of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre would all agree that the rape had the most devastating effect on their being.
Rape Crisis Centres in Ireland operate a professional frontline service to victims of rape and sexual violence and their grants from government have been systematically cut over the past six years. This has to stop and our government has a responsibility to fund rape crisis centres which give support and healing to the victims of this most heinous crime and helps them to recover.
Dawkins logic lesson needs to be challenged. Rape is rape is rape no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the situation.
Victims need to be responded to with compassion and with understanding. The appropriate services need to be in place to help them recover and heal and the judicial system needs to be robust and victim friendly so that the perpetrators get the appropriate punishment and our society becomes a safer place for everyone.
Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop
Chief Executive
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
National 24 hour helpline 1 800 77 88 88
