First Minister to lead debate on ending violence against women and girls

John Swinney is to take part in a debate on ending violence against women and girls at Holyrood.

The First Minister previously announced that the Scottish Government would seek to make progress on a previously scrapped misogyny Bill and to launch a multi-year, public health campaign to challenge misogynistic attitudes in boys and young men.

In a motion set to go before parliament, Swinney says: “That the Parliament condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms, noting that this includes physical, psychological and online abuse; acknowledges the significant damage and harm that such violence causes to women, girls and wider society; recognises that eradicating such violence requires a focus on prevention and on challenging the attitudes and behaviours that fundamentally underpin violence against women and girls, and agrees to demonstrate collective leadership in challenging and changing sexist and misogynistic attitudes among boys, men and those who seek to influence and stoke such damaging behaviour.”

The First Minister said the scale of the issue had been “laid bare” following the murder of two women by their former partners within days in July.

In July, 44-year-old Vikki Soloman was allegedly killed by her ex-partner in Edinburgh, while 35-year-old Stacy Mair was murdered in Renfrewshire.

Stacy’s brother, Sean Hunter, was among those to attend a roundtable led by Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay on Tuesday morning, aimed at tackling violence against women and girls.

Findlay recently challenged Swinney at First Minister’s Questions over the SNP’s “deliberate and relentless” weakening of Scotland’s justice system and rising levels of violence against women and girls, and called for the SNP’s planned early release scheme for all long-term prisoners to be scrapped.

He said: “I’m honoured to be hosting this roundtable at Holyrood and incredibly grateful to all the victims and their families for agreeing to give their personal testimony.

“It’s critical for MSPs to hear directly from those whose have suffered from the devastating impact of violence against women. Far too often, victims and their surviving relatives are further traumatised by Scotland’s justice system.

“John Swinney concedes that violence against women is a ‘pandemic’ in Scotland and has pledged to use his position to take action. I hope that he’s able to attend.

“His words are welcome, but victims rightly demand meaningful action from a government that has relentlessly weakened the justice system over the past 19 years.

“We are calling for a culture shift which would support and respect victims. We also want to see tightening and enforcing of ineffective bail laws, proper support for police officers, and an immediate commitment from the SNP to scrap its plans to free all long-term prisoners after they’ve served just two-thirds of their sentence.

“The murder of Stacy Hunter shows the catastrophic consequences of Scotland’s weak bail laws. The man who attacked her should have been locked up but was instead freed to kill. There will be more tragic murders like Stacy’s unless the government takes action.”

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, he said: “We will end the postcode lottery of service provision to ensure that every woman and girl, regardless of where she lives, has access to safe and sustainable services.

“That includes developing a new, multi-year fund for specialist, third-sector organisations responding to what organisations need to sustain vital services and deliver critical preventative work, we will enhance protections for women by recognising pregnancy as an aggravating factor in domestic abuse cases, and provide support for those leaving abusive partners through our fund to leave.

“And we will invest in targeted interventions, including a multi-year public health campaign, to challenge and to change problematic, misogynistic attitudes in boys and young men, so they understand harmful influences and behaviour before it escalates and women and girls are harmed.”

A debate on the issue is due to take place at 3pm.