A girl was raped next to John Rylands Library on Sunday night, but you probably haven’t heard about it

A young woman, aged 24, was attacked just before midnight on Sunday the 3rd of October. She was assaulted on Wood Street, near the John Rylands Library.

The woman ran off to find aid across Deansgate, and was found in Bootle Street.

Yet after all she has endured, we have let this woman down. You may not have heard about this story, because it hasn’t been dominating our news feeds like the same story would have done last year. These assaults are so frequent, it seems like we’ve almost become desensitised to them.

The young woman was attacked down a quiet side street, by the John Rylands Library.

There are three reasons why this particular case is worse than ever.

The victim of this crime clearly deserves justice. Yet thanks to the spate of sexual attacks this year, her story is going ignored. The prospect of rape is one that lingers in the minds of  young people in Manchester, and it is extremely important to raise awareness of these incidents. There isn’t a day where I don’t feel the need to look over my shoulder whilst walking home, so let’s not ignore the problem.

Women are warned to be vigilant. Police are urging women to take care. Woman are told to take care of themselves, rather than the Police taking care of us. By all means, take care of yourself, take precautions to make sure you’re always aware of what’s going on, HOWEVER, do you really think that it is something as simple as as vigilance which solves the problem? How about we stop perpetrating a culture in which the rapist is partially relieved of some blame because it is the victim’s social responsibility to be “vigilant”. This forces the victim to accept some blame. And this isn’t ok.

Extra police were drafted in after two rapes in city centre in two weeks. May I just ask why they have only just been drafted in now? Are the police totally unaware of the frequency in which young people are assaulted and raped in Fallowfield? It is almost weekly – and this is only reported statistics. Does it take assaults of these ilk, happening specifically in the city centre for Police to involve themselves? What are we doing for all the victims of past and future… where are their extra police forces being drafted in?

There is a crisis here in Manchester. Young people are not safe, we’re scared and worried. Although it is never pleasant to hear about these incidents, ignorance is not bliss.