Did you know that most reported rapes involve two people who know each other? A new hard-hitting anti-rape campaign warning young men about the dangers of crossing the line when it comes to sex has been launched in time for the party season by Hampshire Constabulary.
The Don’t Cross the Line campaign (
www.dontcrosstheline.co.uk) is primarily targeted at 16 – 24 year old guys who make up the majority of offenders of ‘acquaintance’ rape in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Detective Inspector Tara Williams said: "When it comes to sex the law is clear; if you have sex without consent you’re committing rape. It’s that simple. No pressure, no forcing and no expectations. Alcohol is not an excuse to force or pressure someone for sex. We are wholly committed to utilising all of our resources to fully support victims, investigate these offences and bring offenders to justice."
Terri Clarke, Corporate Communications Officer at Hampshire Constabulary comments: “A lot of people associate the word rape with violent strangers, however an alarming number of rapes in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are carried out by someone the victim already knew, or had met that evening. The Don’t Cross the Line campaign aims to reduce incidents of rape by ensuring that men understand the need to gain active consent before they have sex, regardless of how well they think they know someone.