User:Mobrien9279/RINJ

RINJ (Rape Is No Joke Campaign) is a Canadian anti-sexual assault organization founded in 2011 by Canadians in response to a series of pro-rape and 'rape joke' content on Facebook that had drawn considerable attention from the media, women's groups, and law enforcement. RINJ initially joined an international team of groups coalesced by U.K. Women's Views On News' co-editor Jane Osmond who noted "campaigns in other countries have begun, most notably in Canada with the Rape is no joke (RINJ) campaign, which has not only campaigned fiercely but has also put together a Youtube video."

Description

RINJ states its purpose was to pressure Facebook to delete "rape pages" via petitions and boycotts. RINJ says in it's Facebook "Fan Page" that it is not a victim support group but it does carry out programmes to monitor media content; monitor changes in international law; monitor global court and evidence regimes; and lobby for change that benefits community standards. RINJ seeks stiffer penalties for rapists; promotes the creation of a better criminal justice system; and seeks to advance a Rape-averse social conscience.

Past Activities

On November 4, 2011 Facebook removed dozens of pro-rape pages as a direct result of extensive lobbying by the RINJ Campaign and others.

RINJ argued in 2011 that removing "pro-rape" pages from Facebook and other social media was not a violation of free speech in the context of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the concepts recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (ICCPR) sets out: ...[Freedom of speech and expression may] "therefore be subject to certain restrictions" when necessary "for respect of the rights or reputation of others" or "for the protection of national security or of public order, or of public health or morals".

In November 2011 RINJ Campaign attacked and annoyed feminists involved in the "Slutwalk Movement" claiming that "Slutwalk" trivializes rape and taints jury pools with the notion that it is necessary for jurists to decide if a rape victim is a "slut" or not.

RINJ sought to address the issue of "The False Rape Claim Bias of Jurists", dealing with the argument that "We have a 6% conviction rate for rape, which either means 94% of women are lying or there are an awful lot of men getting off." and annoyed 'slutwalk' and other feminists by taking on the issue of false claimants of rape and seeking a unique set of penalties for false rape claimants

"False claimants of rape to police and the courts persistently open the door for the defence in real cases to either find a motive or create a theory of a motive for the victim witness lying about a rape. Prosecutors and Judges are frustrated by this. It's one of the reasons the victim-witness is placed under such scrutiny because the defence must zealously pursue a reasonable amount of doubt to sway the jury toward acquittal and the defence has case law of false rape claims."

Police were quick to arrest the accused person in the case of 'Her Majesty's Courts of Justice of England vs Paul Ferguson' but when Mr. Ferguson produced a hand-held SmartPhone with a camera that contained video of the event, police determined the sex was consensual and Mr. Ferguson was released and the false claimant, Kelly-Ann Ferguson, told Aylesbury Crown Court she made the rape allegation because she was in an 'emotional state' over the breakdown of her marriage. Kelly-Ann Ferguson was sentenced to nine months jail time whereas her husband had been facing 15 years in prison. RINJ has argued that the sentence for a false allegation of rape should be the same or similar to the punishment for the crime itself.

RINJ has cited a ruling of Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge who in a similar case said "Every false allegation of rape increases the plight of those women who have been victims of this dreadful crime." That same ruling was cited in a British Appeal Court Ruling by Mr Justice Henriques in October 2009 in the false rape claim matter of Jennifer Day. The judge made his comments when dismissing an appeal brought by medical representative Jennifer Day, 35, from Essex, who was jailed by a judge at Basildon Crown Court in July after earlier being convicted by a jury of perverting the course of justice by making a false complaint of rape. Mr Justice Henriques, who was sitting with Mrs Justice Rafferty concluded after hearing Jennifer Day's appeal that the two-year sentence was 'well-measured' and warned: 'An immediate custodial sentence is inevitable when a false allegation of rape is made.' It was an offence which 'attacks the criminal justice system'. Scarce police resources were also diverted and innocent victims faced a 'terrifying allegation'. In citing Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge he noted Lord Judge had said that 'It makes the offence harder to prove and, rightly concerned to avoid the conviction of an innocent man, a jury may find itself unable to be sufficiently sure to return a guilty verdict.' Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge said it was an offence which not only causes great problems for the victim, but also damages the administration of justice in general in 'this extremely sensitive area'.

According to some 'slutwalkers' RINJ Campaign has an ulterior motive of "slut-shaming" or victim blaming by pursuing court-imposed penalties for false rape claimants.

Later in November 2011 RINJ launched an aggressive boycott campaign against Southern Austereo whose broadcaster Kyle Sandilands had offended many people on 29 July 2009 by interviewing a child rape victim on his 2DayFM Radio Broadcast and who in November 2011 had launched a very nasty verbal sexual-attack against a female journalist.

"Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), newly structured corporate owner of 2DayFM needs to pay heed. When 2DayFM live-interviewed a 14 year-old about her sex life in 2009, it should have realized there was a serious, systemic, moral problem within 2DayFM's management. This wasn't a random interview on the street; it was planned and deliberately set up in the studio.

This type of conduct, completely devoid of any moral compass has continued in other forms and only gets a whistle blown when someone specifically is targeted by 2DayFMs morning broadcaster to Sydney's young people in the 18-24 range.

The on-air belittling of a specific woman's breasts and calling her a fat slag in November 2011 was not even the most recent broadcast to put this "Dirty-Toilet Broadcaster" in disgrace, but it is well-remembered."

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) responded to RINJ and other groups that had lobbied vigorously for an investigation by ACMA in March 2012 with a public statement saying that, "The Authority found the comments by Mr Sandilands deeply derogatory and offensive and, in all the circumstances, a licence condition is the appropriate response." Broadcaster Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) responded to RINJ attacks against Sandilands' alleged 'misogyny' by claiming that it would give producers a button to press in the event Sandiland's made further improper and unlawful comments. RINJ Responded by awarding SCA the "Dirty Toilet Broadcaster Award"

The ACMA went on to say that "In response to this incident, 2DAY-FM has indicated that it has introduced several safeguards, including: a) Instructing Mr Sandilands and his management of the sort of remarks that are unacceptable and must not be repeated, b) Extending the broadcast delay for the program from 10 seconds to 30 seconds, and c) Installing a warning light system in the Sydney (and Los Angeles) studios to allow production staff and content advisers to notify announcers when content may be of concern. While these [2DAY-FM] initiatives are commendable, the ACMA is of the view that the imposition of a licence condition is appropriate in the circumstances, to ensure the ACMA’s concerns regarding compliance with the relevant provision are addressed. 2Day FM will have the opportunity to make representations to the ACMA on the proposed licence condition before a final decision is made.

In 2010, the ACMA found the same programme had breached the equivalent indecency provision of the earlier version of the codes. Following that finding, the ACMA imposed a licence condition to provide increased protection for children participating in live hosted entertainment programs broadcast by 2DAY-FM. If 2DAY-FM does not comply with its additional licence condition, the ACMA may take further action including: 1) Give a remedial direction, 2) Impose a further additional condition, 3) Accept an enforceable undertaking, or 4) Suspend or cancel the licence."

In response to RINJ and the ACMA, Southern Cross Austereo CEO Rhys Holleran said, “2Day FM’s core audience is women, predominantly young women. 2Day FM has built its significant audience over the past decade by broadcasting programs which appeal to women and their interests in a relevant and entertaining way."

"Our difficulty with the proposed licence condition is that terms such as ‘decency’, ‘demeaning’ and ‘undue emphasis on gender’ are broad and ambiguous and mean different things to different people. The ACMA has issued no guidance on the licence condition and in light of that, we consider the condition to be unworkable." "The ACMA also appears to have ignored the steps which 2Day FM put in place, well before the investigation commenced. It is also relevant that, in a 10 year period in which 2Day FM has broadcast approximately 87,000 hours of programming, it has breached the Code only four times." "We are concerned that the ACMA’s response is disproportionate to the breach of the Code. 2Day FM considers that the ACMA has given undue weight to complaints received from people who were not listeners of the program. '(Presumably referring to RINJ which is head-quartered in Canada)'"

Recent Activities

On March 24, 2012 following the death of Ukrainian rape victim Oksana Makar, RINJ announced a boycott of Belvedere Vodka which had run an ad on various social media portraying what appeared to be a man groping and restraining a woman who appeared to be trying to flee in panic, and the slogan above the illustration was, "Unlike Some People, Belvedere Always Goes Down Smoothly". At the time of the ad, Oksana Makar laid in a hospital bed while the world watched and prayed for her recovery.

RINJ later on March 30, 2012, demanded that Belvedere Vodka compensate Oksana Makar's family.

On a Facebook Memorial Page RINJ explains the connection between Oksana Makar's murder and Belevedere Vodka's pro-rape, pro-drinking adverts, apart from the timing of events, as this: "Attitudes like those surrounding the events of Oksana's rape and which allowed the perpetrators of crimes against Oksana Makar go free are bred from a collection of cultural influences like Belvedere Vodka's misogynistic and pro-rape advertising. That this company would run the disgusting advertising we see elsewhere on this page while Oksana was fighting for her life, makes us sick and disgusted. The resolve to force this company to compensate the family of Oksana is unwavering."

Quote: On March 29, 2012 Oksana Makar died from a horrific gang rape. Three drunken rapists wrapped a cord around her neck leaving her barely conscious; worried she would go to the police --all 3 were intoxicated---they wrapped a blanket around her and dragged her to a near by construction site where they lit her on fire. She was found the next day by a passing motorist. She had burns over 55% of her body; she endured the amputation of her arm. We had hoped Oksana Makar would survive. Doctors and family along with hundreds of thousands of prayers failed to defeat the evil that was done. Oksana died on March 29, 2012. Rape Is No Joke, Belvedere Vodka. RINJ wants you to make sure Oksana's parents never wants for anything. Must we sue you? We at RINJ have issued a global indefinite Boycott of Belvedere Vodka! Thinking like theirs that leads to atrocities like Oksana Makar's. While she was in the hospital describing pain to her mother, we had to see a pro-rape ad from Belvedere Vodka. Despite their apologies, the damage is done. It was a false apology, they were just trying to save face; and this is not the first pro-rape ad they have issued. We will always remember and love our beloved sister; Oksana Makar. Here is a link to one of the rapists calmly describing the brutal rape." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YydV3OFZ2C2

On May 1, 2012 RINJ continued to lobby for an increase in penalties for rapists issuing a report urging the use of jail terms ranging from 10 years to life to 30 years to life. Quote: Sexual assaults are personal and intrusive crimes. Offenders consistently receive longer prison terms and more restrictions on their freedoms once released than offenders who commit other serious assaults, including those that are life-threatening. Yet current penalties seem inadequate or ineffective.

On May 9, 2012 announced that it would expose some of the crime seen on Facebook on May 16, 2012. RINJ repeated what it had initially announced in November 2011, that it has been maintaining a hidden "Hall Of Disgust" referring to "a repository of links to Facebook Pages containing Pro-Rape; Rape Drug; Child-Molestation and other offensive content that Facebook refuses to remove."

RINJ says about the content of this secret page that,"when we find disgusting material on Facebook we post it in an unpublished page and members of the team all report that content seeking its removal."

External links

• Official website