Member's statement: Rape Myths
Member's statement by Mrs Michelle Guy on .
- MLA
- Mrs Michelle Guy
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 10 March 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Rape Myths
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5436090
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Yesterday, the Justice Minister launched an incredibly important campaign to challenge common myths about rape. Experiencing sexual assault is traumatic. It is life-changing, and it is not for those of us who have not experienced that trauma to presume to tell victims how they should respond to it. Rape myths are deeply damaging. They create shame and self-blame for victims; they discourage reporting; and, far too often, they shift the focus away from the perpetrator and onto the person who has been harmed. As Gisèle Pelicot said so powerfully, "Shame must change sides". If we are serious about achieving that, we must challenge such myths clearly, confidently and with care. For example, "If both people were drinking, it is not really rape": that is a myth. Someone who is intoxicated cannot give informed consent. "If you did not report it immediately, it did not happen": myth. Taking time to report an assault does not mean that it did not happen; it reflects the reality of a deeply personal trauma. "If there are no physical injuries, it must have been consensual": myth. Rape is defined by the absence of consent, not the presence of violence; violence is not required for it to be a crime. I hope that Members will support the campaign as it rolls out on social media, but challenging the myths cannot happen through social media alone. Education is central to changing attitudes and preventing harm in the first place. As a member of the Education Committee, I particularly welcome the support provided by the Department of Education and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in making resources available to teachers through the relationships and sexuality education (RSE) hub. High-quality RSE plays a vital role in helping young people understand consent, respect and healthy relationships. It equips them to challenge harmful narratives, recognise abusive behaviour and support one another. Resources like that give teachers the tools to have informed age-appropriate conversations and to build a culture where victims are believed, harmful attitudes are challenged early and the responsibility is placed where it belongs —
— with the perpetrator.
352 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.80).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.97).
- Subject area: Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.05 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.04 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.80 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.97 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.03 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.81 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.19 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:11 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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