Chamber and committees

Anne Marie Docherty submission of 26 July 2021

PE1876/D - Accurately record the sex of people charged or convicted of rape or attempted rape

I believe this is a very important petition.  Many women fear the crime of rape more than any other crime as it is such a personal violation where control and humiliation is often a prime motivator for the perpetrator.

As a woman, I find it absolutely intolerable that the crime of rape could ever be recorded as being carried out by a woman.  That is bad enough but a further consequence is likely to be that the police and courts will insist that the alleged offender be referred to as "she" and "woman".  This will traumatise the victim even further and compel them to lie in court because saying that a woman can rape is a lie.  Females do not have penises so cannot rape.

Another intolerable consequence will be that a convicted rapist will be sent to the female prison estate.  I cannot grasp at all that any government could consider allowing this horrific state of affairs to occur.