December 17th 2024.
Introducing This Is Not Right: Metro's year-long violence against women campaign.
On November 25, 2024, Metro launched a year-long campaign called This Is Not Right, dedicated to addressing the rampant epidemic of violence against women. Throughout the next twelve months, we will be sharing stories that shed light on the sheer scale of this issue. With the support of our partners at Women's Aid, we hope to engage and empower our readers to take action against violence towards women. If you have a story to share, please reach out to us at our email address.
But for me, the trauma of sexual assault and rape is not a distant issue. It is deeply personal, embedded in my own experiences. I have survived over ten instances of sexual assault and rape in my life. Despite this, I have never reported a single case to the police, out of fear and a deep-seated belief that I would not be believed.
The first time I was sexually assaulted was at the young age of twelve. I was staying over at my best friend's house when her older brother called me into his room. I had always felt uncomfortable around him, but I tried to reassure myself that there was nothing to be afraid of. However, as soon as he shut the door behind me and told me to lay on the bed, I knew something wasn't right. He began kissing my neck and forced his hand down my pajama bottoms. I felt scared and confused, not knowing how to say no or make him stop. I just laid there, mentally escaping the situation until he was done.
In the aftermath of that experience, I went back to my friend's room, trying to act as if nothing had happened. I didn't tell anyone, instead blaming myself and trying to forget about it. This pattern continued as I grew older, with each new instance of assault or rape furthering my belief that I was somehow at fault. I turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with the trauma, but it only led to more harmful decisions.
It wasn't until I hosted a house party and was raped by two of my boyfriend's friends that I finally decided to speak out. But even then, I was met with disbelief and threats from those closest to me. It has been over fifteen years since that night, but the flashbacks and trauma still haunt me as if it were yesterday. Despite seeking help and therapy, it never gets easier.
The statistics on violence against women are alarming. According to Rape Crisis, 6.5 million women in England and Wales have been raped or sexually assaulted, yet only one in six women report these crimes. In the year ending March 2022, sexual offences reached a record high of 193,566 in England and Wales. Shockingly, research has shown that rape has the highest not guilty plea rate of any offence, and this has been consistently true for fifteen years. In most cases, the perpetrator is someone the victim knows, and more than one in five victims are unconscious or asleep when they are raped.
This is why Metro has launched This Is Not Right. We want to bring attention to this epidemic and encourage our readers to take a stand against violence towards women. It is time for all of us, especially men, to speak out and take action. Together, we can make a difference and create a safer world for women.
Feeling completely alone and betrayed, I didn’t report the incident to the police. And that has been the case for every sexual assault and rape I have experienced.
But I refuse to let my silence continue. That’s why I am sharing my story now, in the hopes that it will help others find the courage to speak out and seek help.
This is not right. It is not right that so many women have to suffer in silence, fearing that they will not be believed or that the blame will be placed on them.
That's why I am grateful for the launch of Metro's campaign, This Is Not Right, which aims to shed light on the epidemic of violence against women and empower readers to take a stand against it.
It's time for us to stand together and demand change. No one should ever have to experience what I have been through, and no one should ever have to carry the shame and guilt that comes with it. Let's break the silence and end this cycle of violence.
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