Civilised societies deplore any violation of a person’s freedoms or person. Rape is an example of a hideous crime, but one where it can be difficult for victims to get justice. Despite much publicity and action on the part of campaigners, conviction rates for rape in the UK remain
comparatively low. Fewer than 3 in 100 rapes recorded by police between October 2023 and September 2024 resulted in someone being charged the same year. Whilst there may be a variety of reasons for this, psychological research has identified rape myths as being a factor that may influence convictions. New research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology has demonstrated that the presence of victim-blaming language can lead courts to favour shorter sentences for those convicted of rape. This finding may have implications way
beyond its research context. The more humans engage in active accusatorial behaviour, the harder it may be for observers to make accurate and appropriate judgements and decisions. Let us seek to be those who are thorough in our analysis and investigation, aware of such biases, and ready to reject their pernicious influence as far as we can.