Rape Crisis is releasing a new campaign aimed at demystifying the criminal system for teenage survivors of rape and sexual abuse and empowering them to speak out, instead of withdrawing from the justice system entirely.
In the past 12 months, Rape Crisis’ advocacy team, which supports survivors through the justice system, has reported a significant increase in the number of teenage girls being referred to them with cases of sexual violence.
In addition, the team has found that younger victims are more likely to withdraw from the criminal justice system after reporting cases of rape and sexual abuse, for reasons ranging from the fear of not being believed to being part of the justice system, which can feel overwhelming and intimidating, the charity said.
The #BreakTheSilence campaign features four videos showing the story of ‘Leila’, a teenage girl who seeks help from Rape Crisis South London after being raped by a boy she knows. The films see Leila receive immediate support from the one of the charity’s advocacy workers, following her as she chooses to report the crime to police and eventually attends court.
The first film features BAFTA-winning actress Georgina Campbell, who starred in Murdered By My Boyfriend, explaining that no victim of rape is responsible for the crime they have suffered, no matter what they were wearing or if they had been drinking or taking drugs.
The films then show Leila reporting being raped to the police and it being explained to her that her evidence will be recorded for evidence. Each stage of the process of reporting and getting enough evidence to go to trial is explained, including Leila being shown around an empty court room by the charity’s advocacy worker to make it less intimidating before she has to formally give evidence.
The films do not end with a conviction of her attacker or an acquittal, but with Leila stating: “What happens today doesn’t change who I am. I know what happened, but I am a survivor, and I am strong.”
