Network backs Mirren on rape jurors

THE head of the Rape Crisis Network has said she agrees with actress Helen Mirren that female jurors could be less likely to sympathise with a rape victim — but for different reasons.

The Oscar-winner, who has previously come under fire for claiming date rape should not be a matter for the courts, says lawyers defending men accused of rape prefer having a female-dominated jury because “women go against women”.

“In a rape case, the courts — in defence of a man — would select as many women as they could for the jury, because women go against women,” she said, in an interview in yesterday’s Sunday Times Magazine.

Mirren, who has said she has been date-raped in the past, said women jurors feel other women “were asking for it”.

“Whether it is in a deep-seated animalistic way, going back billions of years, or from a sense of tribal jealousy or just antagonism, I don’t know, but other women on a rape case would say she was asking for it. The only reason I can think of is that they’re sexually jealous.”

Although her comments have surprised some campaigners, Fiona Neary, director of the RCN, said it is possible that female jurors could be affected by a blame culture around rape, with society sending out highly contradictory messages to women.

“As women we are bombarded with all kinds of messages about what to do not to be sexually assaulted,” she said — such as being warned where not to walk — which can tend to perpetuate the myth that a woman’s behaviour is to blame when she is raped.

“So it would not surprise me if women jurors were acting this way, and almost blaming women. But is inviting a man back to your room consent for rape?”

According to the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland, fewer than 1 in 10 victims of non-consensual sex report to the Garda and only a tiny proportion of reported sexual crimes end in conviction.

Ms Neary said attitudes worked as a major barrier to reporting, and for women to themselves recognise a rape.

Victims often did not come forward because of the fear of being disbelieved or blamed, and any open discussion on the matter was welcome, she said. It was imperative legislation be brought forward clearly to define what consent is.

Currently, she said, the focus is on the victim and, as a defence, the man can say he “believed” he had consent.