Nope

[Content Note: Rape culture; descriptions of a sexual assault.]

The Nottinghamshire, England, police department inexplicably released this poem, entitled "Nightmare Before Christmas," in some sort of holiday-themed attempt at rape prevention:


Shockingly (not shockingly), survivors' advocates found this to be a TERRIBLE FUCKING IDEA.

Cathy Saunders, of Midlands Women's Aid, said the poem trivialised sexual violence and should be withdrawn. ..."I'm quite appalled that the authorities thought this would have the desired effect on perpetrators," said Ms Saunders.

...Leonie Mountain, rape project manager at the Incest and Sexual Abuse Survivors in Newark, said: "I am concerned this poem does not give out the impact rape and sexual violence has on its victims. "The effects are - and can be - life-changing and very long-lasting. I don't think the poem depicts this."

Which is to say nothing of the fact that the poem depicts the imaginary exemplar survivor as having been conscious during the attack, then stumbling into a police officer (who reflexively believed her!) to whom she gave such a perfect description of her attacker that they were able to immediately pursue him, but then, for some reason, she "stumbles" home and suddenly isn't aware how or where she was attacked. WHUT.

Thank goodness for the police, who can be HEROES even despite basketcase victims, eh?

Naturally, the police are defending their terrific poem, which looks a hell of a lot less like rape prevention than it does a bunch of smoke being blown up their own asses about how awesome they are, appropriating a hypothetical survivor's story to centrally feature in their congratulatory backslapping session.

The force denied the poem was offensive and said it was targeting attackers.

...Helen Chamberlain, from Nottinghamshire Police, said she did not believe the poem was misguided at all.

"We have been heavily criticised in the past for focusing on victims and giving out persistent warnings to victims about keeping safe. This year we decided to try a different tactic and target the perpetrator. I accept it has caused a stir and caused people to talk and that's what it was meant to do," she said.

Bonus exploitation points for sending out a female spokesperson to make a statement about this shit.

This is the same garbage defense we see over and over when "rape prevention" efforts epically fail: "We just wanted to get people talking." Well, if you're getting people talking about the critical importance of consent and boundaries, then you have succeeded. But if you're getting people talking about how gross your goddamn "rape prevention" project is, then you have failed.

Happy fucking holidays, Nottinghamshire PD.

[H/T to Shaker MMC.]