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Women heading out for Christmas drinks have been warned by police not to make themselves easy prey for rapists. Senior officers in England and Wales warned of the risks as the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) launched a campaign to raise awareness. Poster, radio and TV advertisements will urge women to let your hair down, not your guard, while warning men, Rape: short word, long sentence. Many forces record an increase in sex attacks over the festive period. It comes as thousands of people head to pubs, bars and clubs.

The Acpo campaign was launched in Manchester where it is thought that alcohol plays a part in two thirds of all rape cases. In the city there has been a rise in reported cases of rape over December and January in recent years. The police campaign aims to raise awareness of a number of steps women can take to protect themselves and tells men of the need to seek consent for sex.

Cheshire Chief Constable Dave Whatton, the national lead on tackling rape, said alcohol tended to be a factor in a large number of rapes. He said ultimately we want to prevent rape from occurring in the first place, by arming potential victims with key advice on how to keep them safe. But we are also aware of the sad reality that many victims of rape remain silent.