GROWING EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN EXPOSES SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT’S FAILURE TO ACT
ALBA Depute Leader Kenny MacAskill MP has released figures which show that crimes of domestic abuse are at an all-time high having risen by 57% during Covid lockdown between 2019-20 and 2020-21.
He has said that these figures amount to a “growing epidemic of violence against women” which “exposes the Scottish Government’s repeated failure to act” in addressing hate crime and misogyny against women and girls. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act became law in March 2021 but does not include sex as a hate crime “aggravator”.
The former Justice Secretary believes that all Hate Crimes should be prosecuted and that disability, race, religion, sexual orientation and transgender identity are correctly included in the Hate Crime Act. However the failure by the Scottish Government to include sex in the Hate Crime Act and to make misogyny a hate crime are inexcusable.
Mr MacAskill has released a paper which shows that:
Domestic Abuse
- Incidents of domestic abuse rose by 57% between 2019-20 (40,803) and 2020-21 (64,193).
Sexual Crimes
- There has been a 34% increase in rape and attempted rape between 2013-14 (1,808) and 2018-19 (2,426).
- There has been a 36% increase in attempted rape between 2013-14 (1,690) and 2018-19 (2,293).
- There has been a 50% increase in sexual assault between
2013-14 (3,405) and 2018-19 (5,123).
In a statement Mr MacAskill said:
“As this paper shows the biggest problem in respect of hate crime in every community in Scotland and in ever increasing numbers is that of violence against women. At a time when recorded statistics show crimes of sexual assault, rape and domestic abuse on the rise, the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime Act, fails to address crimes that are motivated by prejudice and hate against women. That is not just unacceptable it is shameful.
“These figures show the Scottish Government’s repeated failures to act. The failure to include sex in the Hate Crime Act was a huge failure and went against all the available evidence. Since then whilst some hate crimes seem to have reduced violence against women and girls has increased.
“So why does the Hate Crime Act fail to address the fact that crimes of violence against women are at their highest ever level, by failing to include sex as an aggravator for hate crimes? And why is the Scottish Government continuing to drag its feet, nine months after promising action, when it comes to introducing a separate hate crime of misogyny?
“It is right that Hate Crimes should be prosecuted. Those who perpetrate such crimes on the basis of their prejudice and hate towards individuals regarding their disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity are correctly included in the Hate Crime Act. Progress is being made on many fronts and that should continue. But the omission of violence against women and misogyny in the Act is staggering.
“The Scottish Government have compounded the failure to include sex in the Hate Crime Act by failing to bring forward a separate law to address misogyny. They are failing to focus and act where the problem is the greatest.
“That is why I believe that these crime statistics should be a ‘wake up’ call to the Scottish Government to act and to act now.
“It is time the Scottish Government acted to protect the section of our community who suffer most from hate crime. Baroness Helena Kennedy’s working group report must be accelerated, and the law amended to include all hate crime victims and especially those who suffer most”.
Hate Crime – Facts and Failure
The Scottish Government Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill was passed in March 2021 following recommendations to consolidate all hate crime law into one bill contained in Lord Bracadale’s review of hate crime legislation.
The intention was stated to be to ensure that there was legislation capable of addressing crimes motivated by prejudice. The aggravators in the Act are:
Disability
Race
Religion
Sexual orientation and
Transgender identity.
Concerns were expressed by women’s organisations over the fact that unlike the Equality Act 2010, sex as a protected characteristic had not been included as a hate crime aggravator even although statistics showed sexual assault, rape and domestic abuse was rising while crime overall in Scotland was decreasing.
During the passage of the bill an amendment was proposed that sex should be added as an aggravator. That was rejected by the Scottish Government who suggested that a stand-alone of misogynistic harassment be brought to parliament at a later date.
Accordingly, the Hate Crime Act doesn’t address sex-based hate. But what are the facts relating to hate crimes.
It’s right that Hate Crimes should be prosecuted. Those who perpetrate such crimes on the basis of their prejudice and hate towards individuals regarding their disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity are correctly included in the Hate Crime Bill. Progress is being made on many fronts and that should continue. But the omission of violence against women and misogyny in the Bill is staggering.
What an arse Sturgeon and her lunatic moronic ministers combined with the other troughers from the other parties are making of the whole justice system in Scotland , their efforts to showboat to the rest of the world that they’re the mostest bestest progressive government in the whole world is rendering our most vulnerable citizens as targets
WTF does this cacophony of mince achieve who are the beneficiaries of this clusterbourach , are they going out of their way to make it unworkable , are they afraid to target the real perpetrators against WOMEN or are the police incapable of detecting the perpetrators of sex crimes
Does this come as a surprise to anyone? the SNP contingent of the Scottish government refuse to protect its own representatives such as Joanna Cherry who has received death threats and instead of prosecuting to the max when only a few years ago another female representative, representing England’s Labour party, was murdered. Instead they target anyone who doesn’t sing from the same song sheet as their precious leader. Acting like Golum with the one ring! When taken with the wide range of actions and policies it is clear they are deeply misogynistic as a party and seem to aspire to mimic the Handmaid’s Tale. While the English government see 1984 as their guide book, It is the Handmaid’s Tale that appears to be SNPs. Who would have thought that they would be so unrecognisable as the party most of Scotland got behind in 2014 and 2015? A party now of the perverted not the people.
At last Scotland has a party that is willing to hold the Scottish government to account. Now they need to also stop treating English parliamentary custom (which was abolished in 1707 with the creation of the binary parliament of GB) as law and stop treating the English government under the guise of “UK” as the sole authority of the treaty and state when both countries governments are equal partners with equal authority. A legal fact that is not reliant on majority MP, population or votes.
I note also that the SNP response was to treat sex based crimes predominantly against women and girls as mere harassment when it and the rest of the hate crimes listed fall under discrimination and should be treated according to the level of harm done. A child that is repeatedly raped for instance will be affected far more acutely than someone who is not physically, mentally and emotionally traumatised.
Yet again Kenny MacAskill, Alba Party, leads the way. It seems that the safety of women is not a priority for Sturgeon and her friends. Strange world when women can’t rely on a female FM. Thankfully, we have ALBA.
When the scmoke has cleared, and the rubble has done it’s thing:
Here’s a hint:
We are Scotland.
22 is here!
Let’s go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0W1v0kOELA
Your choice, you song.
Cheers boss.
It’s late.
WELCOME 2 TWENTY 22.
Love your friend.
If you have 1.
Aye do
Friends are cool, they are important.
Love yer pal.
Hi, apols again for me random comments, too much Amontillado thru the night with company. Wishing ye all well and taking a break. Cheers.
Don’t be a stranger!
Will do, thanks 🙂
O/T.
I can’t recall who predicted this but ex-SNP Policy Chief Chris Hanlon is calling for Devomax to an option in an indyref, this would suit Sturgeon, and Blackford to a tee I think.
https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenational.scot%2Fnews%2F19824109.indyref2-ex-snp-policy-chief-backs-three-option-ballot-paper-break-logjam%2F
I told the readers this in here a week or more ago and got castigated for it. Oh well. I say it again, the SNP in Westminster are negotiating a referendum with the 3rd option. The permission for them to do that can only come from Sturgeon. Onto Labour, what I see coming is Labour promising a 2nd referendum with the 3rd option only if they get in power. This will put the SNP in a precarious position as they cannot or will not deliver a 2nd referendum and if the people of Scotland do want a referendum the will have to vote Labour. If the people vote for Indy then its start all over again in iScotland. The people after voting for Indy in 2012 all moved over to the SNP because they were going to give them a 2nd Indy ref. They can just as a matter of fact move back to Labour if Labour is the party to give them a 2nd chance.
We keep telling you never again will Scots vote for Labour in any numbers. They are an English Imperialist Party as that clown Starmer made abundantly clear yesterday. You need to wake up Sandy and face reality Labour committed political suicide in 2014. Red Tories!!
The thing is BB if the people want a referendum over everything else which seems to be the case then Labour is the party that will give them it. The Tories wont. The SNP cannot. There is only one place to go. Take the 2019 election and what Corbyn offered. Stopping universal credit on day 1. £10 Min Wage, 0-hour contract employees getting full contract after 3 months, £10B investment over 10 years in Scot Invest Bank and compensation for WASPI women. I have the manifesto here signed by almost everyone. The people in Scotland did not buy it. They bought Indy2 from Sturgeon. There was nothing in the SNP manifesto. It all depends on how bad you want it. I am sure you would vote Labour if it was in their manifesto to give you a referendum. I repeat BB. Its the SNP in Westminster doing this. They are drip feeding the public to test the waters. Anybody can see that. Gordon Brown is putting together a plan for a 3rd option I hear. The SNP down there are ahead of them it seems.
You have not being paying attention Sandy. However you are Labour so no surprise there you only are ever on transmit mode never receive mode. That is why you are languishing behind even the Tories in Scotland. We do not want a referendum not now not ever. Go and actually read some of my blogs instead of just coming on here to spew your oft repeated English Party’s propaganda. No Referendum!!!
This is ALWAYS the case with identity politics. It sounds like the plainest common sense to say,
“Any incident of racism / sexism / antisemitism / transphobia is one too many”.
It’s actually true. But as soon as we compare the figures, a whole new story presents itself.
What a perverse society we are.
Calling someone a racist name, or a sexually offensive name is a hate crime whereas stabbing someone is not.
Sexual abuse is the horror of horror crimes where the burden of proof is to be reduced to gain convictions with no expense spared, even to the extent of millions of pounds, whilst for other crimes, or politically protected individuals, the police defer from investigation and action.
So when Prince Andrew invited Epstein and Maxwell to stay at Balmoral along with an entourage of young women, did Police Scotland as it now is, or the Royal Protection unit raise an eyelid. Of course they didn’t. Like Sir Jimmy Saville, the great friend of Royalty, having sex with the dead and child molesting is ok.
Put simply the Police are rotten to the core. A corrupt and indeed hostile force to be used against ordinary people, and not the gilded protected ones. And that is before the impacts of the selective and partisan Hate Crime Legislation kicks in.
The Police no longer police by consent. Sectarian and hostile, protective of the elites, and criminally elites at that, there can be, and nor should there be any trust the police.
“So when Prince Andrew invited Epstein and Maxwell to stay at Balmoral along with an entourage of young women, did Police Scotland as it now is, or the Royal Protection unit raise an eyelid. ”
Young Women or Young Men over the age of consent of 16 in the UK can make their own life choices in the
UK , its their own responsibity to make those decisions. Life choices.
It’s not sixteen Marion.
Sad to say it very much seems that 14 year old women, or should I say girls, or should I say kids have been on the menu.
Middle aged men, rich and powerful, dieting on young women. Yeh, it’s a lifestyle choice Marion. A lifestyle choice.
Not sure though if most contemporary society would agree with you. In fact there are those, funded by the SG too, who believe the legal age of consent should be reduced to eight years of age.
You up for that too Marion. Fifty year old men, eight yer old girls, a lifestyle choice. Prince Andrew I suspect would no doubt agree.
The Hate crime bill will be used by the Dark Queen against her political enemies, no one is safe. It will be used to stop meaningful debate and crush any opposition against Queen covids traitorous rule. Some one abused a flying monkey go to jail, get the thought police around for Jigsaw crime for anyone that exposes the truth. Save the pretty precious Union for Dark Lord Boris and the Tory orcs .Dark Queen is an agent for the evil empire of Mordor. The Truth is in full view Devo Max business as usual with no meaningful control for the Scots. Let get rid of this damp squid of an PRETENDER Sturgeon and get a real patriot in her place. Enough is enough.