Charity Faces Backlash for Suggesting Women Use Glitter as a Rape Prevention Tactic

WOMEN and girls have been warned over “misleading” claims used to flog self-swab rape kits to vulnerable people online.

Shadow safeguarding minister told The Sun she ‘has had enough’ of the organisation Enough to End Rape – which has recently come under fire for peddling misinformation to its thousands of social media followers.

One representative even went as far as to advise women and girls to lather their bodies in glitter Credit: Instagram/@enoughtoendrape Concerns are now being raised about Enough’s social media reach Credit: Instagram/@enoughtoendrape

More than 40 sexual violence charities have urged women not to rely on the kits, which have never been proven admissible in court despite their claims.

One representative even went as far as to advise women and girls to lather their bodies in glitter to deter and help catch sex pests.

In one video, she filmed herself rubbing glitter on her skin while telling viewers, “A rapist won’t think about glitter, but a forensic scientist will.”

Speaking to The Sun, Conservative MP Kearns blasted: “Glitter won’t stop a rapist, nor will it get a victim justice – and just like a self-swab rape kit, it isn’t admissable in court.

The controversy comes after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a series of the group’s online adverts Credit: gofundme Upholding its ruling today ASA said the advertising failed to provide sufficient evidence and make clear the significant limitations involved Credit: gofundme

“I’ve had enough of Enough’s dangerous and misleading claims exploiting the fears of women and girls.

“Women deserve support, not fearmongering. Peddling false hope to frightened women isn’t standing on our side – it’s a betrayal.”

The controversy comes after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a series of the group’s online adverts ruling that several claims had not been substantiated.

The regulator specifically challenged slogans claiming that these kits allow victims to self-testify in court as well as suggestions that carrying a swab could ward off potential attackers.

The ASA also said numerous complaints had been raised regarding claims featured on the homepage, including “a social movement to prevent rape,” “the kit that will make rapists think twice,” and “it’s the breathalyser of rape.”

Conservative MP Kearns first raised her concerns in in May, when she blasted: “[They claim] only one of their devices will deter a man from raping you, as if it is my responsibility as a woman to stop a man from raping me.”

While evidence collected using a self-swab kit could, in principle, be considered by a court, the ASA said it had not seen any evidence of one being used to testify in a rape trial.

Upholding its ruling today ASA said the advertising failed to provide sufficient evidence and make clear the significant limitations involved.

Former and Probation Service chief Sir Martin Narey – who lodged the complaint that led to the ASA – told the in May that he “thought they were frightening young women and terrifying their parents by exaggerating the likelihood of being raped.”

He said: “The awful truth is that young women and parents have bought these kits in the hope that it might help in the awful event of their daughter being harmed. They hope that might bring someone to justice. It’s likely to do the reverse.”

The ASA ruled in May that Enough’s online advertising must not appear again in its current form Credit: gofundme Speaking to The Sun, Ciara Bergman, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales said that multiple of Enough’s claims were ‘problematic’ Credit: gofundme

Concerns are now being raised about Enough’s social media reach of 42,500, which primarily targets an audience of uni students and young women.

Speaking to The Sun, Ciara Bergman, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales said that multiple of Enough’s claims were “problematic” given that ‘they can’t identify where on the body any gathered came from, whose it is, or how it got there”.

Bergman encouraged victims to reach out for free, specialised support rather than relying on home methods.

She said: “Survivors do not need to buy or use products to be validated, believed or indeed to ‘avoid’ rape. This is because it is never, ever their fault that they have been abused.

“Rape Crisis England & Wales and our members provide free, confidential, quality-assured and specialist information, advocacy and support to all survivors of sexual violence and abuse.

The ASA ruled in May that Enough’s online advertising must not appear again in its current form after concluding several claims had not been adequately substantiated.

Enough said: “Claims that Enough has misled the public are incorrect. CAP (the ASA’s sister organisation) has confirmed it is acceptable to state that there are an estimated 500,000 rapes a year in the UK and that evidence collected using Enough’s forensic-grade kits can, in principle, be admissible in court.

“We respect the views of charities that disagree with our approach, but the reality is that the vast majority of survivors never report to or attend a Sexual Assault Referral Centre, meaning potential evidence is often lost. They are asking for other reporting options, including Enough.

“We have always been clear that and SARCs remain the best option where survivors feel able to access them. Enough exists for those who would otherwise not report, and deserve more than nothing.

“Our recent glitter social media posts were designed to highlight the importance of preserving all forms of potential trace evidence.

“Self-collected evidence, including from tampons and underwear, has previously been used in rape prosecutions.”