Argyll and Bute Council is supporting a Scotland-wide police campaign led by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) to raise awareness of recent changes in the law on rape and sexual assaults.

The ‘We can stop it’ campaign uses a series of strong, thought-provoking statements from young men aged 18 - 27 years old acting as positive role models and is designed to promote a sense of responsibility rather than attributing blame. It asks young men to consider their own behaviour and the role they can play in preventing rape.

The Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 reforms previous legislation for sexual offences and created a range of new offences relating to sex without consent. Crimes such as sex when a victim is asleep or unconscious, sex without consent through inebriation, and male rape, are in this category. The campaign was developed after consultation with partner organisations, academics and focus group research with young men and women across the country.

Lead Councillor for Adult Care Anne Horn said

‘Argyll and Bute Council is keen to support the ‘We can stop it’ campaign to help raise awareness of changes in the law. Many people associate rape with a violent assault by a stranger in a dark alley, but in reality most rapes are carried out by a partner, an acquaintance, a friend or a date.’

Councillor Aileen Morton, Shadow Lead Councillor for Adult Care, supported Councillor Horn’s statement, and both councillors fully endorsed the words of The Right Honourable Frank Mulholland QC, The Lord Advocate, who said ‘It is important that the public is aware of what rape is and the campaign will help in raising public awareness on this as well as dispelling any myths about rape. There is no concept of contributory negligence in the crime of rape. Rape is rape.’