The number of rapes linked to illegal migration keeps on rising. The most recent case of rape – of a minor – took place on the 3rd of August, and the accused is a 34-year-old migrant from Burundi. The government of Robert Golob continues to advocate an “open borders” policy, and in the meantime, the police recommend, among other things, that potential victims try to inspire understanding and compassion in their rapists.
“When victims are attacked, we advise them to try to escape and call for help. We recommend shouting loudly to attract the attention of others and to scare the perpetrator, including by screaming ‘Help me!’ and ‘Police!’ If the perpetrator appears to be stronger and will not back down from the attack, the victims should try to stay calm and act to minimise or mitigate the consequences of the attack. They should try to remain calm and try to talk to the perpetrator and evoke feelings of understanding and compassion,” the Ljubljana Police Directorate said of the latest rape. Their response was published by the media outlet Planet TV.
The police could, for example, also recommend shouting and using self-defence measures against the perpetrators, such as tear gas. Many women who do not find it a useful strategy to evoke “understanding and sympathy” from their rapists have already taken the measures to protect themselves. As early as last November, we reported that the sale of tear gas in Ljubljana had risen dramatically. You can read more about that in our previous articles.
The public is outraged
Aleš Primc, a Ljubljana city councillor, was one of the many people who responded to the police’s advice, writing on Xe: “Police leadership, are you crazy? The police leadership issued instructions for the migrant rape of Slovenian women and girls. According to the instruction, Slovenian women must evoke feelings of ‘understanding and compassion’ from the rapist when raped. You are crazy!”
Zala Klopčič, an online influencer and member of the Slovenian Democratic Youth (Slovenska demokratska mladina – SDM), the youth wing of the Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS), also responded to the advice of the police on Instagram. “The official advice of the police for all victims of rape: try to inspire feelings of understanding and compassion in the attacker. This is f**ked up!!!!”
Another response came from Karin Planinšek, who ran for the position of Member of the European Parliament on the list of the SDS party this year. She wrote: “Rape victims should try to talk to the perpetrator???? Is this a message from the police letting us know that they do not plan to do much about such acts and that we should just get used to living with more rapes???”
Dr Igor Pribac, former professor of philosophy and head of the election campaign of former President of the Republic Danilo Türk, also spoke up, but he showed more understanding for the advice of the Ljubljana police officers. “Primc and Planinšek notice only the fourth piece of advice of the police and delete the first three, the more advisable ones. Thus, they distort the position of the police and are being misleading. This is food for the so-called SOS (Slovenian Defence Guard – Slovenska obrambna straža) boys, they are inciting them against migrants and the police,” he wrote.
Pribac himself has been accused of sexually harassing female students in the past, and the allegations have left him without the title of associate professor.
Police: Women are always advised to try their best to defend themselves against assault
The police have also responded to the reactions on social media. They wrote: “The police act on the basis of the professional views and findings of domestic and foreign experts in the field of criminology, as well as the many years of experience they have gained in working with victims and perpetrators of the most serious forms of crimes against life and limb.
The advice published is taken from our advice brochures, which have been published for years and are aimed at victims of crime or individuals who are about to find themselves in an extremely threatening situation. That is, circumstances where it is impossible to predict how long the attack on the victim will last and what the perpetrator is capable of doing to complete the act.
Women are always advised to try their best to defend themselves against an attack. When the perpetrator is physically stronger than the victim, especially if the attack takes place in a remote location where help from strangers cannot be expected, the victim is often unable to prevent the attack despite her resistance. What else the victim can do in such a difficult moment is to try to make the perpetrator feel guilty, to discourage him from attacking and to try to prevent even worse consequences (further injuries).
It is also extremely important, although extremely difficult in such a stressful situation, to try to remember as many of the perpetrator’s characteristics as possible, as this will be of great help to the police in finding and punishing the perpetrator for this vile and criminal act, and in preventing further offences.”
Ž. K.
