A blog by Steve Symms, Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RaSSo) Force Champion for Dorset Police on how the police work on a sexual assault case and a link to their Investigation Timeline. Read more
1st December is World AIDS Day, and it is a day to remember those that have lost the battle to AIDS complications and to commemorate the people living with or affected by HIV. But what does it mean to be a woman in all of this? A blog by Samantha Dawson Manager of Body Positive Dorset Read more
A blog by Dawn Dines the CEO and founder of StopTopps on the increasing problem of drink spiking. Read more
Details about The Shores, Dorset Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), who support victims of Rape and Sexual Assault. Their team consists of professionally qualified Doctors, Midwives, Nurses and Crisis Workers. A pan Dorset service based in central Bournemouth. Read more here. Read more
Please note all our blogs are very kindly written by supporters of the charity and they do not always represent the views of STARS Dorset but we hope they are informative and promote discussion around issues pertaining to the work we do.
In this blog by Jessica Smythe, MSc Investigative Forensic Psychology, we look at rape myths, the stereotyped and false beliefs about sexual assaults, rapists and rape victims which often serve to excuse sexual violence, create hostility toward victims and can lead to bias in criminal prosecution. Read more
In this blog by Alison Woodward, Clinical Supervisor at STARS Dorset, we look at How the Brain Works in Response to a Traumatic Event. The 5 Fs, Fight, Flight, Freeze, Flop and Friend. Read more
In this blog by Ellie Rowe, MSc Investigative Forensic Psychology student at Bournemouth University, we look at Victim Blaming. Victim blaming often involves false beliefs or thoughts that attempt to shift the blame from the perpetrator of the crime to the victim Read more
The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) is a free, fast, emergency injunction service for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and violence. Our service allows anyone who has recently been threatened or subjected to domestic abuse to apply for an emergency court injunction. Read more
Ever wondered what an ISVA is? Here one of our Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVA), Sarah, talks about her role at STARS Dorset. Read more
The problematic use of past sexual history as evidence in rape trials by Kez Bhola-Dare, 2ND Year Law Student, Bournemouth University, and Jamie Fletcher, Lecturer in Law, Bournemouth University. Whilst there are a range of sexual assault myths that can influence rape trials, this blog focuses on the myth that a women’s sexual history is an indicator of consent to the act in question. Read more
Dating apps are becoming increasingly popular and have promoted a new way of socialising. As well, research has revealed that dating app users report lower levels of sexual consent and higher levels of sexual coercion. Read more
We all know about red flags in relationships. Those little (or big) things that trigger our warning system and get the alarm lights flashing. But how much do you know about green flags? Read more
Since 2014, The Good Night Out Campaign has been on a mission for safer nightlife. They believe that nights out should be about fun and freedom, not fear and they work proactively to support re-education around sexual violence. Read more
Why Domestic Abuse is everyone's business.... As an employer, what can you do to support your employee? by Julie Johns MBE Read more
This blog by three Law Academics from Bournemouth University, discusses the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill and argues that in order to avoid a major legal pitfall, campaigners need to articulate the problem and their aim more clearly, engage with the current law and adopt the legal terminology that will effectively make their point. Read more