A dramatic award-winning 90-second date rape advert made for WAR by leading advertising company TBWA-GGT will also be featured during the evening. It was first shown at Warner Village Cinema in Leicester Square, where male viewers felt challenged by the uncompromising question to men, “What are you doing?”
WAR, a multi-racial grassroots women’s group, provides counselling to victims of rape, including asylum seekers, helping women get the protection, justice and compensation to which we are all entitled, including pressing for prosecution of rapists (only 1 in 7 men reported for rape are brought to trial, only 6% found guilty).
The combination of support, legal advice and practical back-up by grassroots women is unique to WAR and has set a number of important precedents, including the first private prosecution for rape in England – the rapist was jailed for 11 years. It was WAR which got rape in marriage recognised as the crime it is. We are consulted by the police, Crown Prosecution Service and Home Office. The media has come to us for over a quarter century for information and opinions. We have raised awareness of issues such as date rape, child abuse, domestic violence, the vulnerability to violence of women with disabilities, racist sexual assault, rape in war-torn countries and the plight of women seeking asylum from rape in war and under dictatorships . . .
In January, the Association of Local Government in London suddenly cut our funding after 17 years. They did not criticise our work. But we have consistently told the unvarnished truth about the legal obstacles women trying to get justice are up against.
Lisa Longstaff of WAR said: “Having seen the closure of London Rape Crisis earlier this year, women are very concerned that this leaves rape survivors in London without the vital support services they need. Our volunteers are working under great stress while we seek alternative funding. We are determined not to be closed down. We call on all women and men in London to come out against rape, this time by raving with WAR for Xmas!”
Tickets: £6 unwaged; £10 waged; £25 to sponsor WAR for a year and receive a copy of the 90-second date rape video. Café-bar, with food.
Disability access: ramp & help to upper ground floor, accessible loo on ground floor.
We welcome online donations via our website: www.womenagainstrape.net
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
The truth about women against rape
03.12.2003 17:02
The Hobbit
Why does it exist anyway?
04.12.2003 13:46
Wuh?
get a grip
04.12.2003 14:58
Women Against Rape are a serious campaigning organisation trying to highlight and address real problems faced by real people. F'rinstance at the mo they're trying to defend asylum rights for women fleeing rape.
Now if your aim is to find fault I'm sure there have been occasions where supporters of the group have made statements that can be interpreted as agreeing with things that Tories like Gillick have said. But come on, you can do that with any group!
Women Against Rape are progressive not reactionary, and they deserve support.
kurious