Over 40% of Czechs Feel that Rape Can Be Justified

Conditions for rape included if the victim was intoxicated, voluntarily went home with the offender, was wearing revealing clothing, or was not clearly saying no or fighting back.

Across Europe, 25% of respondents felt that rape was justified in one or more of the above situations; in the Czech Republic, the number was considerably higher – 42% of respondents answered that non-consensual sex was sometimes justifiable.

“Public opinion research by Amnesty International has [indicated that] a significant part of society thinks that under certain circumstances a woman shares responsibility for her own rape. This perception needs to change.”

Data released by international organisations and EU agencies alike points to a recurring trend: on average, every third woman experiences violence during her lifetime and every tenth is raped; that violence typically occurs at the hands of a partner.

Here in the Czech Republic, a number of local initiatives have been created to draw awareness to what is considered by many an epidemic. 

One such program, the Valentine’s Day “Dancing Against Violence” event, was organised by the Czech Women’s Lobby in collaboration with well-known fitness trainer Hanka Kynychová and the Czech Republic Police presidium.

The aim of such events is, according to Ivana Antalová, of the Czech Women’s Lobby: “To publicly discuss this sensitive topic. Only then will women who are experiencing violence dare to seek help.”

Lobbyists are also calling on the Czech government to confirm the international agreement on the prevention and prosecution of violence against women and domestic violence (the so-called Istanbul Convention).

The pan-European treaty was approved by the Czech Republic last year.

The adoption of the convention, which will require some changes to Czech legal regulations, could be submitted to parliament for ratification by June 30, 2018.