| Rape compensation cut for drunk victims |
Published By: Mathew White
On Tuesday 12 August 2008 |
Some rape victims who were drinking before they were attacked have had their compensation cut, it has emerged.
Rape victims can be given smaller payouts under a clause that says awards in all types of cases can be reduced if alcohol consumption "gave rise to the injury", according to reports.
In the past year, 14 rape victims - 1 per cent of rape-related applications - were told they would receive lower levels of compensation due to alcohol consumption, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) said.
One woman, who believes she was raped four years ago after having her drink spiked, successfully overturned a decision by the CICA to award her less money because she had been drinking "excessively".
She said being told the standard award of £11,000 would be reduced by 25 per cent in her case, to £8,250 "felt like a slap in the face".
She received a letter from the CICA which stated: "The evidence that we have shows that your excessive consumption of alcohol was a contributing factor in the incident."
The woman said: "When I read the CICA letter I just had no words, I could not take it in.
"It felt like I was being punished for having the audacity to step up and say 'I don't think this should have happened to me'.
"It was like going back to the '70s, saying 'she was asking for it'," she said.
The CICA said a mistake had been made in this particular case and said its policy was not to reduce awards to rape victims on account of alcohol consumption.
