The report by Baroness Stern, which reviewed how rape complaints are handled by public authorities in England and Wales, recommended that the "basic elements" of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 are given more publicity and that easily understandable information about the act is made available to young people and "those who work with young people who are able to disseminate it widely".
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that rape takes place when a person does not consent to penetration and the perpetrator "does not reasonably believe that the other person consents".
The Stern report said: "The 2003 Act makes some matters very clear and it is important they should be widely understood. It says that one person having sex with another when that person has not agreed to it is rape. Violence is not part of the definition. The absence of consent is the defining factor."
It added: "The inclusion of ‘reasonable belief' is considered by some to be one of the most significant changes brought in by the 2003 legislation, where an honest but unreasonable belief in consent can no longer result in the accused's acquittal."
The report also stated that rape and sexual assault education and awareness-raising campaigns for young people should be developed with "careful consideration" given to their design to ensure they are imaginative and effectively targeted. It highlighted the use of laminated cards and a "dispelling myths" booklet by the Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Whitechapel, London — as well as Hampshire police's use of an interactive role-playing game— as good practice.
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