London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 06, 2025

Cops probe WhatsApps 'about National Rape Day' after TikTok video rumours

Cops probe WhatsApps 'about National Rape Day' after TikTok video rumours

POLICE are investigating reports of a Brit WhatsApp group allegedly promoting a supposed American TikTok video said to call April 24 "National Rape Day".

Sexual violence victim charities have slammed the supposed clip, which is claimed to show men encouraging sexual violence.

While the original video is believed to have been pulled down, or even not to have existed at all, Devon and Cornwall Police are investigating allegations that an encrypted Whatsapp group has been set up to promote the idea in the UK.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Police have received a report of the existence of the WhatsApp group and are currently making enquiries regarding the credibility of the group.”

Falmouth University in Cornwall has also said it is investigating social media posts appearing to encourage the "abhorrent" day.

A spokesperson for the university said: “We have become aware of a number of messages and social media posts circulating in relation to an abhorrent TikTok ‘24 April Hoax’ encouraging sexual violence.

"There is no evidence that reports of these posts and purported related discussions are genuine, or that there is a genuine threat, but it is clear that the issue is causing distress to our community and we therefore want to make clear that we are taking this issue seriously."

They added: "We are actively working with the police to support their investigations and the university will take a zero-tolerance approach to anyone found participating in any related group chats, whether private or public, or engaging with the content in a way that could reasonably be foreseen to cause distress or emotional harm, whether intended or not.

"We would strongly encourage anyone with information about individuals engaged in any such discussions to come forward and support the university, to ensure our campus remains a safe and inclusive environment and so that enquires can be progressed.”

The police stressed that most of social media claims around the day came from abroad - and it was not localised to Cornwall or the UK.

It comes as women in the US urge others to stay indoors after rumours of the stomach-churning threats for April 24 were released on the popular video sharing app.

Meanwhile, one campaigner described the idea of a 'National Rape Day' - where laws are suspended and rape is legal - as "abhorrent".

"Regardless of its origins, or whether or not it was intended as a ‘joke’ at any point, the very concept of such a day is abhorrent and has caused many people, particularly women and girls, a great deal of understandable fear."
Katie Russell Rape Crisis England & Wales



Katie Russell, from Rape Crisis England & Wales, told The Sun Online: "Our understanding is that this disturbing so-called ‘trend’ on TikTok began as a hoax, and no evidence has been found of the original video threatening a national day of sexual violence in the USA.

"Regardless of its origins, or whether or not it was intended as a ‘joke’ at any point, the very concept of such a day is abhorrent and has caused many people, particularly women and girls, a great deal of understandable fear.

"The ‘trend’ will no doubt have also been extremely distressing for many, not least of all victims and survivors of rape and all forms of sexual violence and abuse who might have had vivid memories and flashbacks to past experiences triggered by this."

She added: "Obviously, despite one particular piece of misinformation that has featured in this so-called ‘trend’, there is no day or moment where laws are suspended and rape is legal in the USA or anywhere else in the world.

"Rape and sexual assault are always serious crimes.

"It should also go without saying that rape and all forms of sexual violence and abuse are traumatic experiences that can and do have wide-ranging and long-lasting impacts, and are never appropriate topics to ‘joke’ about."

Andrea Simon, director of End Violence Against Women Coalition said: "Regardless of whether this is a hoax or not, we know the use of threats of sexual violence and derogatory comments about women’s appearance and bodies are very common forms of online abuse that women are subjected to.

"We wouldn't accept threats to rape offline and we can't ignore them online. They intend to intimidate and silence women in online spaces, causing real harm to individuals and to society and should never be tolerated."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
Nvidia Pledges Up to $100 Billion Investment in OpenAI to Power Massive AI Data Center Build-Out
U.S. Signals ‘Large and Forceful’ Support for Argentina Amid Market Turmoil
×