One in three convenience stores is robbed because they unwisely have money in the cash register.

[Scuba]

http://feministing.com/2014/08/04/victim-blaming-anti-drinking-posters-in-the-uk-get-edited/

Victim-blaming anti-drinking posters in the UK get edited

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service is facing a backlash for posters from an anti-drinking campaign called “Know Your Limits” that ran several years ago and still pepper college and hospital walls. A petition calling the posters ”a blatant and appalling case of victim-blaming, putting the onus on the victim rather than the perpetrator” has gotten over 100,000 signatures. But since NHS insists there’s nothing they can do since the campaign is over, I’m liking this more direct approach taken by British blogger @neverjessie even more.



The NHS posters are similar to those awful ads put out by The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board a few years ago. As Jos wrote then, “Getting drunk can be a bad idea for a whole host of reasons and that is a conversation to have. But the one that says getting drunk makes other people a danger to you? Not so much.” Maybe NHS can redeem themselves by launching a new campaign that tackles rape culture. We’ve seen more than a few great campaigns that do that in recent years, so they have some models to work from.

[Heidi]

1. Kick!

[intaglio]

2. Arrggghhhh! One in three advertising managers have the sensitivity

... of a planarian

[el_bryanto]

3. I got in an argument on this issue with someone the other day

It was related to the groping that many females experience at Comic-con - he was arguing that they shouldn't dress that way if they don't want to get groped and I was explaining that nothing the female does excuses unwanted advances. And I think that as a society, that's the position we should take. There is no excuse for sexual harassment and certainly no excuse for rape.

On the other hand, if I had a daughter (or a son) I would certainly warn them to consider what kind of risks they might be taking drinking in certain situations - I don't drink at all though so my advice would probably be not to drink.

Bryant

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. kick

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. Let's acknowledge the reality...

There are awful people in this world. People who will hurt you if they get the opportunity. If you go to a strange place (like a frat party) and get drunk to the point that you can't respond to an attack, you're giving those people an opportunity.

Telling the awful people in this world, "You should not commit a rape" is a mostly pointless exercise. Their willingness to ignore your demands is part and parcel of what makes them awful people.

You should lock your doors at night.
You should park your car in a well-lighted area.
You should walk with a friend after dark.
...And you should avoid excessive alcohol consumption.

I have a daughter who's a junior in college and before she went off to school, she received a series of lectures from Dear Old Dad on the subject of "How To Not Be A Crime Victim." While I fully support a message to young males that rape is never -- and not even fucking slightly -- acceptable, I disagree that we should send a message that seems to say, "It's OK to indulge in high-risk behavior because if something bad happens, it's someone else's fault."

Preventing sexual violence is a combination of trying to convince women to be smart and to be safe, and (far more difficult) trying to convince men to stop behaving like assholes.

I have far more faith in the women.

[fleabiscuit]

7. So you like the poster on the left the best. Got it. n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. Nice reducto you've got there (nt)

[LuvNewcastle]

10. I agree.

Telling certain men that they shouldn't rape is like telling people "Just say no to drugs." Unless those men have some mental problem, they already know it's wrong to fuck a woman who's passed out; they just do it anyway.

I look at it like STD prevention. In an ideal world, everyone with an STD would be up front about it before they have sex with someone. But there are people with STDs who don't care about the person they're fucking. They just want to get laid and damn the consequences. That's why it's up to each of us who isn't in a monogamous relationship to take precautions before having sex with someone we don't know very well.

Of course it's the rapist's fault if someone gets raped. But we have to look out for ourselves and our friends to cut down the risks of it happening. If you want to get shitfaced, go out with friends you know and trust; just don't do it around a bunch of strangers.

[fleabiscuit]

14. Question... would that be because most rapes happen to women by someone they don't know? n/t

[alp227]

16. Acquaintance rape is far more common than stranger rape. Nt

[Rhythm]

6. Kickin' it...

[Nye Bevan]

9. It would make a lot of sense to educate convenience store owners of this fact.

If simple precautions such as time-lock safes and only keeping a minimal amount of cash in the register (especially at night) can reduce convenience store robberies, such a campaign would be very worthwhile.

Yes, the people who are ultimately to blame for convenience store robberies are the robbers themselves. But increasing awareness among convenience store owners of how to reduce their risk of falling victim to these criminals is undeniably a good thing.

[Silent3]

11. Stop supporting theft culture! n/t

[pipi_k]

12. So there will invariably be

some who will get the totally wrong message from the first poster, which is that it's likely reality and it's in no way blaming the victim.

What it's doing is pointing out the reality, which is that being drunk makes a person vulnerable. And there are predators out there who will take advantage of vulnerable people.


I just don't get how anyone can think that taking precautions is a bad thing.

It's not "blaming the victim" to tell people that it's a really good idea not to be walking alone down deserted streets or alleys or in dark parking lots at night.

Or to tell them that if you want to drink, do it with people you know, and have a designated driver/sober person there to make sure everyone is safe. Because, you know, there are predators out there.

Lock your doors.

Don't flash money around.

If you're meeting someone for the first time (this goes for men, too!) do it in a public place, both arriving and leaving in their own vehicles. Don't give out personal information.


Good god, why do people think that pointing out the dangers of living in a world populated by predators and how to avoid being a victim is "blaming the victim"??

[fleabiscuit]

15. Um, excuse me...

but that poster shows what appears to be a woman laying there disheveled and distressed. In REALITY it should read “Women, STAY AWAY FROM MEN WHO ARE DRINKING” bub.

[tritsofme]

13. Why do you think the 7-11 has a sign on the door saying only $100

is kept in the cash register at any time, the rest kept in a safe the employee is unable to access? Fail.