MOSCOW, January 29 (Sputnik) – The United Kingdom issued new guidelines to investigate sex allegations in a bid to dispel myths and stereotypes associated with rape and consent.
Under the new regulations, the person accused of rape will have to prove that the woman consented to sex "with full capacity and freedom to do so". The ability to say yes to sex should also be questioned when a suspect holds a position of power or when the complainant was unconscious or had mental health problems.
"For too long society has blamed rape victims for confusing the issue of consent — by drinking or dressing provocatively for example — but it is not they who are confused, it is society itself and we must challenge that," said Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions, as quoted by the Independent.
Saunders believes that the new guidelines will go beyond the old saying "no means no". It has been established that "many rape victims freeze rather than fight as a protective and coping mechanism," she said.
As many as 85,000 women and 12,000 men are victims of rape in the UK annually, according to the International Business Times. However, only approximately 1,070 rapists are convicted yearly.
