Rape is rape. Groping is groping. Let’s not confuse the issues

The ‘non-consensual sexual experience’ phrase lumps together everything from a feel to rape, writes Terry Prone

REMEMBER that you read it here first. On this page. In this column. On this day. The general election cliche of 2016 is: ‘The red-line issue.’ A lot of foot-stamping is going on, right now, about what each of the smaller parties would regard as non-negotiable, were one or more of the larger parties, post-poll, to come seeking their favours.

We’re going to be red-lined up to the gills between now and then. This will be the red-line election. I’m sick of red lines already, and the election hasn’t even been called. If ‘red line’ is an irritant, so, too, is “non-consensual sexual experience” as a term applied to rape, abuse, groping and verbal abuse.