"The more we talk about rape, the more victims will feel safe to speak out"

Wednesday 07 February 2018

The two co-founders of a campaign to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault are in Jersey this week to meet more than a thousand local students.

Allison Havey and Deana Puccio of the RAP project want to make sure young people are empowered to make their own decisions.

A former journalist and Assistant District Attorney respectively, the two ladies set up the RAP (Raising Awareness and Prevention) Project in 2012. Since then, they have travelled to schools all over the UK and Bermuda, talking in front of over 60,000 students.

This week marked their first visit to Jersey, where they visited four schools and met over 1,000 students between 11 and 17. Ms Puccio explained: "We talk about issues that are difficult for us as a society to deal with, from sexual abuse, to laws on consent, sexting and how hardcore porn affect the image of teenagers. It's all about empowering young people and keeping them safe."

Ms Havey added: "We want to make sure there are no blurred lines around those issues and that young people are crystal clear on the laws. We want them to be empowered to make their own decisions and not to be pressured to do things they are not ready to do." 

Pictured: The RAP project aims to empower young people so they can make their own decisions and not feel pressured when it comes to sex.

The duo came upon the invitation of local charity Jersey Action Against Rape (JAAR). The charity's Chairperson, Sara McIntosh, explained: "It has always been the mission of JAAR to raise awareness and all we can do is find ways of doing that. We thought that the RAP project and Allison and Deana were fantastic, they have done brilliantly and had a successful outcome. The feedback has been fantastic already.

"Schools have been very receptive, if we had had more time - Allison and Deana were only in Jersey for two days - we would have visited even more schools. It has been very positive."

While there are no more incidents of sexual assaults in Jersey than any other town of the same size, Ms McIntosh says it is crucial to speak about rape to help remove the stigma around it. Like the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), the charity has seen an increase in the number of people contacting it since high-profile cases made headlines. For Ms McIntosh, this shows just how much dialogue is important: "Some people don't want to talk about it because they don't want to believe their society is imperfect. It goes on in any society and Jersey is no different. We need to be able to talk so that it is not hidden away and the stigma is removed.

"This is the only way victims will know they can talk to somebody, be listened to and believed. Talking about it can, hopefully, help reduce the number of incidents, as well as the trauma and the psychological damage that goes with it. The more we talk about it, the more survivors will feel safe to talk about what happened to them. It can be a very isolating experience but it is important they know they are not alone, which is why Cassidy chose to lift her anonymity to reach out to others."

Pictured: The RAP co-founders encourage parents to talk to their children about porn even though the subject is "awkward."

While rape and sexual assaults are a big part of Ms Havey and Ms Puccio's talk, they also broach on other "uncomfortable topics" that affect young people. Among those are self-esteem and how social media can affect it, sexting, surviving the transition from school to university, body image and consent. But they also ask teens if they have ever had a conversation about online porn with their parents. Surprisingly, the two ladies say that only two to three percent of the students they met in Jersey have done so.

Ms Havey said: "It is usually 20% or 30%. It is an awkward conversation to have but as long as it is kept age appropriate, it needs to happen. At least 99% of them are going to be shown something or mistype something online that can be upsetting. It is important that parents approach the subject so that young teens know they can speak to someone."

The RAP project co-founders say the reception in Jersey has been very positive, with one student emailing them shortly after their visit to say she felt empowered by their talk. Ms Puccio said: "It is so rewarding to know you have made a difference. Over the years, we have seen how the new generation is struggling with complex issues and we try to give them tools to tackle those issues. It is great when we hear comments that what we have talked about is current with what they are dealing with. We will continue until rape is eradicated!"

Pictured: From left Sara McIntosh, chairperson of JAAR, Deana Puccio and Alison Havey, co-founders of the RAP project and Karen Gibb, JAAR Manager.