Bristol Fawcett Group makes progress in rape campaign (28/04/06)

The Fawcett Bristol Group is achieving good progress in its campaign to tackle rape and sexual violence in its area.

Through its determined campaigning in local media and lobbying of local police and decision makers, the group has played a key part in the formation of a new body.

The group will be part of the new Bristol Sexual Violence Forum, along with police, council officers, the Crown Prosecution Services and others. The group's focus will be on prevention, victim care, conviction rates.
 
The Fawcett Bristol Group has had an on-going campaig for better services for women victims of rape and sexual assault in the area.

When the Fawcett Society highlighted the postcode lottery in rape in April 2006, the local Bristol group was at the forefront of the campaign.

It highlighted that in its area, just 4.8% of rapes reported to police ended in a conviction – compared to a not much better 5.3% across the country.

It also drew attention to the fact that there is no rape crisis centre or Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Bristol, although both are now in the pipeline, and that the word ‘rape’ does not feature at all in the city’s Crime and Drugs Strategy.

Bristol group co-ordinator Helen Mott said: “It feels as though we are really making a difference at a local level both in terms of awareness-raising and pressing for change”.