"The Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre is now officially open - offering support for men and women who are victims of serious sexual assault. Formerly known as Dorset Rape Crisis Line, the DRCSC has been providing specialist services for victims/survivors of rape and sexual abuse for over 25 years. In 2011 they were funded by the Ministry of Justice to expand their services and establish confidential offices and client rooms in Poole. Their trained

Women are more likely than men to blame a victim who is sexually assaulted.  They say that a woman provokes it through accepting a drink, flirting or their choice of clothes . These attitudes discourage victims from reporting the crime. Women need to know that it is never their fault.

Myth: Women are mostly raped outside at night in a dark place. Truth: Only 9% of rapes are committed by strangers. Women are most likely to be raped by someone they know.   Myth: Often reports of rape are made up Truth: Only 6-8% of rape allegations are false, which is a statistic that is the same as any other crime.   Myth: If a woman didn’t get hurt or try to fight back, it couldn’t have been rape. Truth: People react very differently

Dorset Rape Crisis Public Launch is happening on Thursday 3 May 2012.