On BBC Question time, Jerry Hayes made some horrific comments that any rape that does not end in conviction is not rape. - That the rape never happened.
Comments such as these perpetuate rape culture, and make it even harder for survivors to come forward and report the crime to the police, for fear of not being believed or taken seriously. Jerry Hayes is a barrister, one who could have direct contact with rape trials. His views are dangerous, and he should be made to apologise for them.
As his comments were distressing and harmful to many rape survivors and their friends and families. It has been well documented what a gruelling procedure going to court, for those cases that make it that far, and the victim being treated like the accused; only a few months ago, a woman committed suicide after having to go through a court trial to try and convict her rapist. To give a platform to such a man, is disgraceful and shocking for the BBC.
There will be no way to truly rectify what damage may have already been done, but to get Jerry Hayes to apologise for his dreadful comments, and acknowledge them as wrong, may in some respects help and to get the BBC to pledge never to give a platform for him to spew rape-apologist statements which causes distress and offence to viewers and to apologise for not taking action when the comments were first made.
To complain directly to the BBC use this link- http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complain-online/

and complain to Jerry Hayes here:
http://www.jerryhayes.co.uk/contact

Please share the petition too, we don't want the BBC to disregard our anger as just another complaint.

- Lauren Read