Man as Animal: Rape Cases in England Go Unpunished
by Jessica Jimenez
It is a common belief that humans are more sophisticated and civilized than the beasts that roam the earth alongside them, that humans have a greater comprehension of nature, emotion and its processes. Now, if this is the case, why are animalistic acts committed by humans? If humans claim to possess these virtues, why do they take lives or intentionally seek to hurt others? Why do they do idiotic, nonsensical things? Why are they so quick to follow rather than to lead?
If man is so humane, so superior to those beasts around him, why then does man rape? Not the raping of nations, or of cultures, or of races, but the raping of a person. The raping of a woman by a man.
Since the beginning of time man has built a Throne of Superiority for himself. To keep that ostentatious, tasteless title, man has decided to go to incredible lengths to subjugate and oppress his counterpart: woman.
Many people, specifically those of Western industrialized nations, like to believe that the plight of women is over, that their cries for equality have been heard and satisfied. They make a show of this, claiming that women in their region of the world have more rights than anywhere else, that they can dress and talk as they like, aspire to be just as successful as men, and even run for president. They forget that more is not all. If these Western countries were really as successful in allowing women to fully exercise their right to equality, there wouldn't be such a staggering number of rapes in these countries.
While there is reason to openly criticize all western nations, this article will focus on only one nation: England. A nation which, at one time, had control of the largest empire in the world, was the initiator of the western Industrial Revolution, and was the mother land who bore the United States.
Every once in a while in England, about 14,000 times a year to be more precise, a man feels the need to re-assert his power and decides to violate a woman. Now, while other industrialized nations may have higher numbers of rapes a year, England is the only one that can say 19 out of 20 reported rapes go unpunished. Surprisingly, compared to all other European nations, England has the lowest conviction rate for rapes: about 6 percent. From 1998 to 2001, it used to be a pitiable 8 percent and has since dropped to its current, even more pathetic, percentage. This doesn't seem so outrageous until it is placed side by side with statistics from other countries: From 1998 to 2001, according to the Rape Crisis Network Europe (RCNE), Latvia had a conviction rate of 66 percent (the highest percentage in Europe) while France a rate of 32 percent. For a nation which, second to the United States, boasts moral righteousness and a superior justice system, this is reprehensible. So, why does it seem that rape is not a top priority for the "oh-so-busy" English policemen who investigate them? The sad fact is that many of those so-called enforcers of justice don't believe rape is a crime.
It is a belief amongst some English men that a woman who is raped is asking for it. This ignorant frame of mind, undisputed and even enforced by a largely male-infested justice system, is evident in the case of Keith Fenley who, in June of 2007, was sentenced to a paltry two years in prison after having raped a 10-year-old girl. How did he get away with this? Well, the girl was dressed "too provocatively," so how could the man be solely to blame? One might scoff at that answer but that is exactly the justification the judge gave when he sentenced Fenley.
An even more outrageous example of how unjust rape investigations are in England is the case of Linda Davies whose 15-year-old daughter was raped. According to Davies, it took three months for the police department to even bring in the 28-year-old suspect for questioning, and only after Davies' incessant phone calls and threats of legal action. The suspected rapist was finally arrested, but was acquitted as soon as the case went to trial, with the judge claiming the suspect was "...in a way a man of good character...."
Still, another prime example of the disregard of rape cases in England is the case of Danielle West who was raped after a Christmas office party. She reported it to the police, but when she mentioned to them she had been drinking, they suddenly became disinterested and even became intent on "tripping" her up. Such unprofessional behavior unfairly takes the responsibility away from the system and places it on the already strained shoulders of the victim, who must constantly fight to get those with authority to believe her.
While West's case is still ongoing and the outcome pending, others who claim to have been raped under similar circumstances have had little hope of a conviction due to the "mucky sex" defense, commonly used by the defense to eliminate male culpability by claiming the defendant was receiving mixed signals from a woman, which is a primary means of acquittal. The phrase "No means no" evidently doesn't resonate with English men.
While these one-sided investigations and proceedings are being acknowledged and corrections attempted, it will not be enough to stop the chauvinistic resistance exhibited by the English justice system. The English justice system, however, is not solely to blame for this skewed mentality. The male psyche in general is to blame, and the only solution is a psychological reconstruction. English men must come to understand that unless a woman explicitly consents to sex, it is morally, ethically, and legally wrong to impose it on her, regardless of the situation. The only way to accomplish this is to start punishing those who deserve to be punished. Until England can accomplish that, it should keep its vanity in check.
