Latest news with #StatusofYoungWomeninScotland
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- Daily Record
'Deeply concerning' spike in attacks against women and girls on Scotland's trains
EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of women were assaulted, harassed or faced unwanted sexual behaviour on the rail network last year prompting anger from campaigners. Violence and sexual attacks against women and girls on Scotland's trains surged by a fifth last year, shocking data has revealed. More than 200 women were assaulted, harassed or faced unwanted sexual behaviour on the rail network between April 2024 and March 31 this year. British Transport Police found 238 offences were committed against women and girls – up 19 per cent on the previous year. The surge in violence comes despite SNP ministers – who took ScotRail into public ownership three years ago – vowing to tackle violence against women and girls. Rail union RMT chiefs had also warned about the impact of staff cuts to ticket offices. Women's groups slammed the 'deeply concerning' increase in violence towards women. Jenni Snell, CEO of the Young Women's Movement in Scotland, said: 'These new statistics around violence and intimidation against women and girls on public transport are deeply concerning but unfortunately not surprising. 'Our Status of Young Women in Scotland 2024-25 research found that public transport is the place where young women feel the least safe – even when compared to other public places like parks or online spaces. 'The upward trend of these violent crimes is not happening in a vacuum. 'It reflects a wider, systemic rise in misogyny and abuse.' British Transport Police chiefs revealed the grim findings at a meeting in Edinburgh last week. The rate of crimes solved also slumped by five per cent. About two-thirds of these were violent crimes while more than 30 per cent were sexual – including sexual assaults, harassment, exposure and communicating indecently. There was also a 60 per cent hike in attacks on female staff. A 2023 RMT survey found a third of female ScotRail workers have been sexually harassed. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: 'A 19 per cent rise in violence and intimidation against women and girls is wholly unacceptable. 'These figures back up what our women members have been telling us – the abuse is real, it is widespread and it is getting worse. 'The best way to prevent assaults and abuse of staff is a fully publicly owned, well funded and adequately staffed railway.' The stats, discussed at BTP's Scottish railways policing committee last week, also show an alarming overall rise in crime on the railways. A total of 640 violent crimes were reported, up 16 per cent on the previous year. Tory community safety spokeswoman Sharon Dowey said: 'If SNP ministers are serious about tackling violence against women and girls, these figures should be a wake-up call for them to ensure females feel safe at all times, including on our trains.' ScotRail spent £1.6million last year to triple the number of body-worn cameras and hire workers to double staff late-night trains on problem routes as part of measures to improve safety. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Customer operations director Phil Campbell said: 'We will continue to work closely with the British Transport Police to make sure people – particularly women and girls – feel safe while they're travelling.' The Transport Scotland quango said a working group was set up to assess enforcement powers against antisocial behaviour on trains to consider 'where these can be strengthened or developed further'. A BTP spokesman said: "There is absolutely no place for violent or intimidating behaviour on the railway network, whether it is targeted towards women and girls travelling across the network, or towards railway staff who are simply doing their job. "We are aware that every offence is one too many, and we have officers across the rail network around the clock, at stations and on trains, to detect and deter crimes and reassure the public."
The Herald Scotland
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Young Women's Movement calls for re-introduction of Misogyny Bill
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. Read more: 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."
