Hungary police release video appearing to blame women for sexual assault

The film was commissioned as part of a safety campaign in the city of Pecs

Police in Hungary have been criticised by women’s rights groups after they released a video that appears to suggest that women who are victims of rape are partly to blame for being attacked.

A “safety” film commissioned by Pecs police department shows three young women enjoying a night out before one of them is sexually assaulted by an unknown man. A slogan then appears across the screen stating: “You are responsible, you can do something about it!”

Groups including the Association of Hungarian Women's Lobby and the Women’s Foundation of Hungary, posted a protest letter on Facebook that condemned the police for victim blaming and sending out a dangerous message that does little to stop violence.

The film, which was premiered at a cinema in the city on Friday, is part of Barany County’s £9,000 crime prevention programme.

It depicts the women drinking and getting ready together in an apartment before heading to a nightclub where they drink shots and dance with men. Bizarrely, as the friends get dressed up they are shown in a series of provocative poses, with one girl licking her finger and another pulling down the straps of her dress.

At the end of the night one of the women sees a hooded man lurking in an alleyway - before the film cuts to her sitting on the ground with her clothes ripped.

The letter also said the film played up to stereotypes and failed to acknowledge that most rapes are carried out by someone the victim knows.