TOUGH messages to show no form of sexual violence or abuse is acceptable in Wiltshire were paraded outside police headquarters in Devizes on Monday.

Police and crime commissioner Angus Macpherson led the campaign as part of national Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week. Det Supt Deb Smith said: "We take all reports of rape and sexual assaults very seriously. We investigate them thoroughly, provide support to the courageous people who report these crimes and signpost them to other support services.

“We have a close working relationship with the Sexual Abuse Referral Centre (SARC) where survivors of sexual assault can report what has happened to them in confidence even if they don’t want police involvement.

“This week is all about raising awareness of the issues around rape and sexual assault. There is a common misconception that a person cannot be raped or sexually assaulted by their husband, wife or partner. This is absolutely not true. If somebody says ‘NO’ to their partner because they do not wish to engage in sexual activity, and their partner carries on regardless, this is a sexual assault.

“We encourage anybody who has been sexually assaulted to report it to us so that our specially trained officers can investigate the offence and support them through what is a very traumatic and difficult time.”

The campaign drives home the message that it is no ok to do a number of things and the banners held by Mr Macpherson, Det Sup Smith, Juliay Gay from Horizon Victim and Wintess Care, Fran Lewis from Splitz Support Service and Jools James-Kempshall from Swindon Women's Aid supported this.

Their boards said: It’s not ok… to touch when uninvited; It’s not ok…no excuse for abuse; It’s not…ok to blame the victim; It’s not ok… just because they’re your partner; It’s not ok…to assume that no means yes.

Mr Macpherson said: "I’m proud to be promoting Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week because, as a society, we don’t talk enough about this troubling issue.

“I have chosen for this campaign to highlight my strongly-held view that it’s not OK to blame the victim. You might think that the days of blaming a young woman for being sexually assaulted because of what she was wearing are long gone.

“But a report last month by the Fawcett Society showed that, in a survey, 38 per cent of men and 34 per cent of women said a woman was totally or partly to blame if she went out late at night wearing a short skirt, got drunk and was then the victim of a sexual assault. The figures are even higher among men aged 18 to 24, and both men and women over 65.

“It is utterly wrong to hold women responsible for the actions of their attacker. We need to consign the damning phrase ‘she asked for it’, and the stereotyping around it, to history.”

Throughout the week, Wiltshire Police will be using its social media channels to help raise awareness of the myths and issues that surround the topic of sexual abuse and sexual violence. Follow @wiltshirepolice on Twitter or subscribe to the Wiltshire Police facebook page.