While we wait to see what happens next, our attention has turned to the reporting of the series of events involving Phillips – with many press headlines referring to Benjamin’s comments as a ‘joke’. The Times led with “Ukip’s Carl Benjamin faces police inquiry over Jess Phillips rape ‘joke’ on YouTube”, while the BBC wrote “UKIP candidate to be investigated over Jess Philips rape ‘joke’”.

Even if the term ‘rape joke’ is cloaked in quotations, it takes away from the fact that any comments about rape aimed directly - and, in this case, consistently - at a woman are a violent and verbal threat. It tacitly defends Batten and Benjamin’s comments and actions. It fails to consider the purpose of the so-called joke, and who it benefits. And it can even make a rapist feel as if their actions are somehow accepted by society.

“Rape and sexual violence and abuse are serious crimes, and among the most traumatic things someone can go through in their lifetime,” Katie Russell, a spokesperson from Rape Crisis England & Wales told Stylist.co.uk. “An experience of sexual violence or abuse can have wide-ranging, long-lasting and often even lifelong impacts on the victim or survivor’s mental, physical and emotional health and wellbeing, their relationships and their lives as a whole.

“Discussing or speculating about doing this to another human being, regardless of the motivation or intention behind the words, does not constitute a ‘joke’. This kind of material can not only cause fear, humiliation and distress on the part of the person towards whom it’s directed, but can also be deeply upsetting and even re-traumatising for other victims and survivors of sexual violence or abuse who hear or see it.

“We would all do well to remember that hundreds of thousands of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, rape and all forms of sexual violence live among us and to show some empathy and respect.”

Essentially, there is no such thing as a ‘rape joke’ - and the press should remember this.

Images: Getty

Why rape comments directed at Jess Phillips need to stop being reported as ‘jokes’