A company marketing self-swab kits for rape victims, Enough, has been found to have significantly exaggerated and misled the public regarding the efficacy and context of its products.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld three complaints against the firm, specifically ruling that its claim that the kits could be used in rape trials was misleading.
Enough was also found to have misrepresented and overstated statistics concerning the prevalence of rape and its likelihood when compared to cancer.
The ASA’s decision followed a complaint lodged by Sir Martin Narey, who previously headed Barnardo’s and the prison service.
It comes after Conservative shadow safeguarding minister Alicia Kearns used parliamentary privilege on Monday to tell MPs that Enough had sent legal threats to a woman who had raised concerns, as well as a rape crisis charity.
Ms Kearns said that the ruling showed Enough had been “lying” to victims, and the firm is “exploitation dressed up as empathy”.
Enough said it respected the ruling, but despite criticism had upwardly revised the estimated number of rapes a year from 430,000 to 500,000. It said its methodology had been approved by the Committee of Advertising Practice.
It stood by its claim “in principle” that the kits can be used in rape trials.
Enough had claimed on its website that evidence collected through the company’s self-swab kits could be used in court, and said that unnamed KCs, a former director of public prosecutions, and a former chief constable backed up their belief. One KC had said it was “conceivable that” the kits could be used.
However, the investigation by the ASA found the KC’s claim it could possibly be used was “not adequate” support for their claim. The ASA also said it had “not seen any evidence” the other legal professionals supported the company’s view.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), National Centre for Violence against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP), as well as the Victims’ Commissioner and Rape Crisis, warned against their use in a joint statement at the end of March.
“These kits can create false expectations, lead to re‑traumatisation and reduce trust in statutory services,” the NPCC’s lead for adult sexual offences Chief Constable Sarah Crew said.
The report said Enough had claimed, in response to the ASA’s inquiry, that despite producing self-swab kits to collect a preparator’s DNA, “(Enough’s) aim was not to direct more survivors into the criminal justice system, as they maintained most did not want that”.
The ASA said: “We had not seen any evidence that DNA evidence collected using Enough’s kits had ever been deemed admissible in a rape trial.”
The ASA said that Enough had breached advertising rules over misleading advertising, substantiation and exaggeration.
The ASA also said the firm had misled the public and incorrectly substantiated claims that 430,000 people are raped every year, and that women are more likely to get raped than get cancer.
Enough said it had produced the figure by using Office for National Statistics figures for England and Wales for 2024, and extrapolating the figures based on estimated levels of under-reporting.
Office for National Statistics data published in January found there were 74,174 rape offences in 2025. This was a 5 per cent increase on the previous year. This amounted to 34 per cent of all sexual offences.
However, rape is regarded as widely under-reported.
Enough said it had also used figures from Cancer Research to provide its claim that women were 2.2 times more likely to be raped than get cancer.
The ASA found that a report by the ONS in 2020 showed it included people who were victims of “assault by penetration”, which would inflate its estimated figures.
The body said: “We acknowledged that not all rapes were reported to the police and that the figure of actual rapes was likely to be significantly higher.
“We further acknowledged that given the prevalence of non-reporting, it would be difficult to ascertain the actual incidence of rapes per year and considered that caution needed to be exercised when making such claims.”
In its ruling, it said: “The ads must not appear again in their current forms.
“We told This is Enough Ltd (trading as Enough) not to state or imply that evidence gathered using their self-testing kit was admissible in court unless they held adequate substantiation for those claims.
“We also told them not to make claims regarding the incidence of rapes or the number of women raped unless they held adequate substantiation for those claims.”
Ms Kearns said: “Today’s ruling exposes what I have been saying for a long time: Enough has been lying to women and girls.
“They told survivors their kits were admissible in court. There is no evidence to substantial that. They told women 430,000 people are raped every year in the UK. That’s three times the ONS figure. They told our daughters they were more likely to be raped than get cancer. That is shameful fearmongering designed to sell a product.
“These kits are not empowerment – they are exploitation dressed up as empathy. They push survivors away from the police, away from rape crisis centres, away from the professionals who can actually help them get justice and begin to heal. A case has already collapsed because a victim relied on one of these kits. That is the real-world consequence of Enough’s false promises.
“They’re selling lies – including that self-swab rape kits will deter rapists. As a woman it is not my duty to deter rapists, nor will telling them I have a swab kit at home going to stop them raping me.
“I will not stop until these kits are taken off the market and taken off our university campuses. Survivors deserve truth, professional support, and justice – not a product that monetises their trauma and destroys their chance of justice in court.”
Ciara Bergman, chief executive of Rape Crisis UK, welcomed the ruling.
She said: “Survivors of rape and sexual abuse, and indeed the general public, must always be provided with clear and accurate information about products which are being advertised and sold to them.
“This should include the fact that quality assured, legally admissible, forensic medical examinations and treatment are available to them free of charge after rape and sexual assault, as are independent and specialist services such as Rape Crisis Centres.”
Sir Martin accused Enough of putting pressure on journalists, rape crisis charities, and students.
He added: “Ms Kearns deserves great credit for highlighting the untruths in Enough’s advertising which, following complaints made by me, have now been criticised by the ASA who have instructed Enough not to repeat those untruths.”
A spokesperson for Enough said: “Enough was created to address the ‘do nothing gap’ – the reality that many survivors never engage with police or SARCs, meaning potential evidence and opportunities for support are often lost entirely.
“We have always been clear that police and SARCs (Sexual Assault Referral Centres) remain the best and most comprehensive option where survivors feel able to access them. Enough exists as an additional option for those who otherwise choose to do nothing.”
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673).
