25TH NOVEMBER 2023
Scottish Labour MSPs Pauline McNeill and Katy Clark.
By Bill Heaney
Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Scottish Labour has released a report on the Party’s consultation into how to tackle violence against women and girls.
This year’s UN Day of Action theme is ‘Invest to prevent violence against women and girls’ and the need for prevention is increasingly clear.
Crime statistics released earlier this week show that sexual crimes in Scotland increase by 8 per cent in the year up to September 2023 compared to the same period in 2019.
The report follows a year of consultation and research by Scottish Labour MSPs Pauline McNeill and Katy Clark.
Among the reports key findings are:
- Preventing and tackling violence against women and girls requires a significant shift in social and cultural norms as well as law reform.
- Clearer guidance for women and girls who have experienced violence is needed.
- Current government-funded programmes must be monitored and regularly evaluated to ensure they remain effective.
- Better quality controls to reduce VAWG content online are required.
- Educating young people about healthy relationships and consent from a young age is key.
To tackle violence against women and girls, Scottish Labour’s recommendations include: A strengthening of legal protections around the distribution of intimate images.
- A right to legal advocacy for victims of rape, potentially through the upcoming Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill
- A comprehensive cross-campus strategy to educate and tackle sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment in all education settings including lessons to educate boys and young men on the links between gender stereotypes and violence.
- The development of sector-specific plans with the trade unions to support a zero- tolerance approach in the workplace, particularly in the public sector.
- Expansion of offender programmes, including an increase in capacity for existing schemes and the consideration of new ones to work with perpetrators of sexual violence.
- A commitment to no further reduction in ticket office opening hours or staffing levels for public transport.
Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: “The need to act to bring an end to violence against women and girls could not be clearer.
“This consultation has heard first-hand from victims organisations, women and young people who have experienced violence at the hands of men and has heard about the need to act throughout our society.
“That’s why Scottish Labour is calling for action to keep women and girls safe in our schools, workplaces and public transport.
“With violent crime on the rise, there is a desperate need for a joined-up approach to tackling violence against women and girls.
“It’s time for fundamental change in our society to keep women and girls safe – let’s make it happen.”