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Number of rape cases has been dramatically growing globally, with new, increasingly more shocking cases being covered by media every day. Approximately 85,000 women are raped on average in England and Wales every year according to the bulletin released by Ministry of Justice, Office of National Statistics and Home Office on sexual violence, entitled an Overview of Sexual Offending in England and Wales.

 

These numbers are thought to continue increasing if nothing gets done within the next couple of years. Julia O'Reagan, 22, a politics student from Edinburgh is a passionate feminist; “Urm. I think the notion of rape itself needs to have less blurred lines. A lot of people's attitudes are if you we drunk how do you know. And what about the poor guy/person who could be being innocent. I have no idea how to change social attitude regarding the Grey area of consent other than through educating the next generation on the concept of consent. Regarding how rape crisis is handled. Rape is bad. Rape damages. There is lack of rape support for males who have been raped / suffered sexual attack. We need more support on the NHS. Mental health care are currently under the Tory government has declined with longer waiting lists. Many women who have been sexually abused rely on charity organises. As a feminist. I feel we need more of These services for men who have suffered sexual abuse.”

 

As rape numbers increase, with 1 in 5 women (aged 16 - 59) having experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16, more and more young woman also face depression and other mental disorders due to the trauma. Julia added; “In addition rape crisis and mental health are very closely linked. Ie PTSD. Depression and much more. The govt keeps cutting this area of the NHS and thus people do not get the help needed.”

 

Sexual assault in the work place is also increasing as flirtation in order to gain tips or bonuses is being more and more tolerant. Greta Zemal, 19, is a student and part-time waitress in London, she just like many other female co-workers has been affected by verbal sexual abuse; “I work in a high class bar in central London and everyday I have to serve men who mostly work in business and banking. These men are the worst people to serve, they don’t have much respect for us waitresses and bartenders, we are just an item that they think that they are entitled to taste just like the drinks that they order. One of my co-workers said that it used to be better, but now that the minimum wage is so low, we have no choice but to flirt and almost give ourselves in to these men in order to get better tips. This makes me sad, because I am scared that we might be building up a very negative over all image of women for these men.”