Young Women's Movement calls for re-introduction of Misogyny Bill

The Herald Scotland

04-05-2025

However, Scotland's national organisation for young women and girls' rights urged Scottish ministers to think again after conducting their own research which included insights into experiences of misogyny.
The Young Women's Movement report, Status of Young Women in Scotland 2024 –2025, was conducted through an online survey between September and December last year as well as focus groups on various issues.
Status of Young Women in Scotland 2024-25 report (Image: contributed) Out of over 600 young women aged between 16-35, the reported top concerns in regards to their rights were around safety and ending violence against women and girls, access to adequate healthcare, and fair and equal pay.
The research found that young women are anxious about a regression in their rights, citing changes in society, culture and politics which make their rights feel more precarious than ever.
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Specific concerns raised included the rise of far-right politics and 'increasing misogyny and the radicalisation of young men online' as well as 'the persistence and prevalence of gender-based violence'.
Out of those surveyed, a total of one in two said they do not trust politicians and decision-makers to represent them and advocate for their human rights, and 58% feel they have no say in decisions about how Scotland is run.
The findings have led to the Young Women's Movement chief executive calling on the Scottish Government 'to prioritise young women's rights' by re-introducing the Human Rights (Scotland) Bill and the proposed Misogyny Bill.
The Young Women's Movement believes if both bills were reintroduced, this would "intensify efforts to combat misogyny" and "improve young women's access to justice".
Jenni Snell, CEO of The Young Women's Movement, said: "With half of young women distrusting politicians to represent them, and more than that feeling that their voices are not heard in decisions about how Scotland is run, this research makes clear that young women in Scotland are being let down by those with the most power."
Young women rated public transport as the place they feel most unsafe, with one saying: 'I often feel unsafe in public places. Every woman I know has at a minimum been harassed by men on public transport; in their place of work or education; on the street, etc.'
One anonymous survey respondent wrote: 'Women experience sexual and gender-based violence at catastrophic rates, and it has been extremely harmful on our physical and mental health and wellbeing, safety in our own homes, ability to access healthcare, and ability to achieve justice.'
Jenni Snell, CEO of The Young Women's Movement (Image: ELLIE MORAG) Discussing action she would like to see following the findings, Ms Snell: 'Over the next year we will be furthering our work with the Scottish Parliament and elected officials to create pathways for young women to better participate in politics and democratic processes, especially in the lead up to the 2026 election, but we cannot do this work alone.
'We are calling on Scottish Government to prioritise young women's rights by reintroducing the Human Rights (Scotland) Bill and the proposed Misogyny (Scotland) Bill; intensifying efforts to combat misogyny in educational settings, workplaces and online; improving young women's access to justice by reforming the legal aid system; and meaningfully engaging and listening to young women's voices to ensure their needs are considered when policies are created."
John Swinney's Programme for Government last year did not include his government's flagship Human Rights Bill which aimed to bring international human rights treaties into Scots law and make them enforceable. The government said it intends to bring forward this bill but it will not be brought forward this parliamentary term.
More recently, however, on Friday, it emerged his government is dropping the Misogyny Bill as the government claims it has "insufficient time" for it to be finalised this parliamentary session following the Supreme Court judgment.
This proposed bill would have provided protection to women and girls at risk of gender-based violence in Scotland, with new laws against misogynistic harassment and behaviour, stirring up hatred against women and girls and protections from abusive communications.
Mr Swinney has insisted that instead of bringing forward specific laws to tackle misogyny – the dislike of, contempt for, or prejudice against women – SNP ministers will instead seek to amend existing hate crime legislation within this parliamentary term.
However, a legal academic has told The Herald this may offer a "much more blunt" form of hate crime framework which would not include "certain nuances" within the Scottish Government-commissioned Misogyny report from leading lawyer Helena Kennedy KC into misogyny in Scotland.
The most recent Status of Young Women in Scotland report is the seventh in the series released by The Young Women's Movement, and marks 10 years since the publication of the first of these.
Ms Snell added: 'We were incredibly inspired by young women's stories through this research and their resilience in the face of adversity, and I'd like to thank every young woman who took the time to speak with us about their experiences of human rights in Scotland."