Caroline West: A consent culture saves lives and we owe it to victims to build on this

We might never live in a world with zero sexual violence, but we can all work together to minimise it, and support victims in a holistic and timely manner

We can start at home by teaching our children about consent, respect, bodily integrity and boundaries, writes Caroline West. 

Rape culture is not just the act of rape — it is the commonality of victim blaming, dismissal of trauma, rape jokes, a retraumatising justice system, and the lack of funding given to support services. 

The fact that a victim’s prior sexual history and therapy notes can be used in court is part of this culture; it implies that previous sexual activity is more important than a rapist’s decision to rape someone.