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Merseyside Police apologise over Twitter 'rape joke' | Merseyside Police apologise over Twitter 'rape joke' |
(34 minutes later) | |
Merseyside Police has apologised over an "inappropriate" tweet about rape made from its official Twitter account. | Merseyside Police has apologised over an "inappropriate" tweet about rape made from its official Twitter account. |
The force has launched an investigation after a reply was sent to a tweet alluding to Everton's 6-2 win over Sunderland earlier. | The force has launched an investigation after a reply was sent to a tweet alluding to Everton's 6-2 win over Sunderland earlier. |
Its message read: "Just confirm there was no actual rape. Sunderland certainly got caught with their pants down." | Its message read: "Just confirm there was no actual rape. Sunderland certainly got caught with their pants down." |
The tweet has since been deleted and the force has posted an apology. | The tweet has since been deleted and the force has posted an apology. |
Merseyside Police had been responding to a tweet sent to its account which said: "Hello. I'd like to report an incident of rape that occurred at Goodison Park, Liverpool, on November 1st at 3:00." | Merseyside Police had been responding to a tweet sent to its account which said: "Hello. I'd like to report an incident of rape that occurred at Goodison Park, Liverpool, on November 1st at 3:00." |
A short time after, another Twitter user contacted the police account and wrote: "I'd like to report an incident that's been going on for ages. Chelsea get raped every week, can you help?" | |
It responded: "Afraid not, it's not a criminal offence to lose week in, week out." | |
The tweets were deleted after two hours but screen grabs of the exchanges were retweeted multiple times, provoking an angry reaction from many. | |
One twitter user, @Chiller, contacted the force saying: "This is exactly what women don't need from their police force." | |
Another, Kelly O'Donnell wrote: "So @MerseyPolice have deleted their tweets. Unfortunately for them, I have screen shots. Is rape a joke to you?" | |
In a series of Twitter posts, Merseyside Police offered an apology. | |
"We would like to apologise for any offence caused by inappropriate tweets from the force account this afternoon," it said. | |
"They do not reflect the strenuous efforts made by Merseyside Police to investigate serious sexual crimes and protect victims. | "They do not reflect the strenuous efforts made by Merseyside Police to investigate serious sexual crimes and protect victims. |
A full investigation has been launched into the "inappropriate use" of the official police Twitter account. |