A new study has found that young people are increasingly unaware or confused of the boundaries around sexual consent.
The research, which was commissioned by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), found 72% of 18-24 year olds don’t understand that you can say no, after initially saying yes when arranging to meet.
The survey, which is the largest survey of its kind in five years, also highlighted further alarming beliefs, with half of young people saying it’s not rape if a victim doesn’t fight back. A further 58% didn’t believe rape can be committed in a relationship or marriage.
The survey of 3,066 UK adults - 50.6% of whom were female - found that while the public’s accurate understanding of rape has grown over the past 20 years, there has been a ‘stark regression’ of attitudes among young people.
The CPS said it had compared its findings to an Amnesty International UK survey in 2005 and found a 'slight decline in, or relatively low levels of, rape myth acceptance in England and Wales in recent years' compared with the earlier survey.
In response to the concerning findings, the charity, The End Violence Against Women Coalition, said it believes the attitudes are being driven by ‘the blurring of our online and offline lives’.
The charity's director Andrea Simon said it's ‘not only created new forms of sexual violence, but new ways to blame victims based on our behaviours online’.
Conversations around sexual consent have gained traction in recent years with TV shows like Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You increasing the awareness of stealthing and the often all too blurred lines around rape.
Visit Rape Crisis' website for help and support or call its 24/7 helpline on 0808 500 2222.
Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.
