Rape is effectively decriminalized – less than 1% of rapists were convicted last year. It’s therefore unsurprising that of the 407,568 women raped last year, 5 in 6 chose not to report. However, according to university students, the presence of ‘Enough’ in Bristol, and the possibility of self-testing after rape, has created 70% deterrence in the city in just 4 months. The programme has had major ramifications for reducing violence against women and girls (VAWG) – and now more students are looking to implement it in their universities.
‘Enough’: supporting rape survivors in Bristol
Students understand what critics do not – this is not about criminal justice; this is social justice. Enough gives survivors power and control, while sending a clear message that there are consequences for not having consent.
620 reports have been made to the platform, with anonymous quotes shared via social media. Each survivor has been signposted to recovery resources and crisis information. 86% of Bristol students say they would report with Enough if they were raped.
A University of Bristol student said:
The presence of Enough on campus has started important conversations that were previously silenced. It’s the first time I feel reassured about this topic.
How does it work? To start, survivors report to Enough simply and discreetly. They choose part to share anonymously on social media, creating deterrence. They can also self-test with a DNA kit.
The presence of the kits and potential DNA held on file creates further deterrence. They can access free digital resources that will help them recover from trauma as quickly as possible.
A University of Bristol survivor said:
I wish that Enough had existed 6 years ago. This would have helped me on the days where
things felt unbelievable and overwhelming and I just needed that validation.
A powerful social deterrence to VAWG
The government has pledged to halve VAWG in a decade, and needs radical ideas to make that happen. The National Police Chiefs’ Council’s report on VAWG in July 2024 stated that:
VAWG is at such a scale that it cannot be addressed through law enforcement alone.
More and more, leading policy makers, including MPs, are seeing that Enough could become another example of enormously powerful social deterrence. Mass communication of the breathalyser, alongside law enforcement collapsed deaths from drink driving from 5,000 per year to 200.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall Alison Hernandez said:
Radical ideas are welcome to combat rape. Too many victims do not come forward and are often suffering alone. I’m keen to see the evaluation when completed to see if it can be rolled out across the country.
Enough is not a funnel into criminal justice, but could be revolutionary from that perspective too. A self-testing DNA kit can be admissible in court. Considering that less than 6% of survivors go to the police soon enough to have the potential for a forensic examination, Enough can give them something instead of nothing – frozen DNA, and a time-stamped testimony.
Students want Enough across universities nationwide
Enough is powered by teams of student volunteers who create deterrent content shared and viewed millions of times on social media. Students are asking if they can work to bring Enough to over 70 Universities across the UK, and the world.
Enough provides free digital resources created with Clinical Lead Dr Maisie Johnstone PhD. These are based on cutting edge research and survivor requests, intended to support the 94% of survivors who suffer symptoms of PTSD in the first two weeks and 75% of whom will never access therapy.
Enough is preparing to launch additional pilots with the support of proactive universities, ready for Freshers’ Week 2025.
Featured image supplied
