The London Legal Salon returns at 1930 on the 8th
of May 2013 to the Hoop and Grapes Pub on Farringdon Street. The topic of the discussion is a new paper by
Helen Reece of the London School of Economics titled: ‘Rape Myths:
Is Elite Opinion Right and Public Opinion Wrong?’
Many have argued that reform around Rape law has failed. Either it has failed to raise the conviction
rate, or worse, it has failed to instil confidence in victims
of rape that the state can prosecute these crimes effectively. Many attribute the lack in any rise in rape
convictions to ‘myths’ around rape. It
is said that the erroneous beliefs of rape complainants and those involved in prosecuting
and trying rape cases are to blame for the lack of any increase in people being
found guilty.
In her new paper, Dr
Helen Reece of the London School of Economics argues that the repressiveness of
current attitudes towards rape has been largely overstated, and that such ‘rape myths’ are not to blame
for the steady conviction rate. Are
misconceptions about rape leading to miscarriages of justice? Should we be doing more to ensure
convictions? Or is there another
explanation for why more and more people are reporting rape, whilst roughly the same number year on year
are being convicted?
Join the London Legal Salon at the Hoop and Grapes Public House on Farringdon Street to discuss Rape Myths on Wednesday the 8th of May 2013 at 1930.
