The Big 'R'

‘A poor choice of words‘ is the Justice Secretary’s mitigation for his comments, which exposed him to a frenzy of condemnation. Kenneth Clarke appeared to make some distinction on different categories of rape. Mr. Clarke’s observations could not have come at a worse time; just over two weeks before the first UK Slutwalk march in London.

The Justice Secretary should certainly be more careful with his words and has been apologetic and at pains to point out “all rapes are a serious crime” since the denunciation of his original remarks, which were made on a radio station.
However, whether it is an abhorrent thought or not – all rapes are not equal in the judicial system. There is a disparity in the sentencing of most serious crimes; a man who rapes his daughter, for example, in the home is unlikely to face the same length of sentence as a knife-wielding rapist that attacks any unfortunate woman in a park or alley-way.

Rape runs a very debatable second to murder. Victims often talk about a preference for death rather than the daily nightmare of surviving a sexual attack and the abuse of babies and children are thought of as abominable. However, on closer inspection the average length of sentencing for rape starts at five years, with an admission of guilt; Is that really enough?

If there are going to be passionate protests and outlandish indignation, wouldn’t it be better spent challenging the sentencing of rape than a back-peddling apologetic Kenneth Clarke?