Hansard

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. The 16 days of activism campaign remains a stark reminder of the violence and abuse that far too many women and girls continue to face. As we mark this period in Parliament each year, we must do more than acknowledge that that is unacceptable. We must ask whether we are truly doing enough to change the realities of women’s lives and ensure that they are better protected from violence and abuse in all their forms.

This year’s focus on digital violence, which is now the fastest-growing form of abuse worldwide, is both timely and necessary. Digital spaces are increasingly central to young people’s lives, to women’s work and to our social interactions, yet they remain hostile environments for too many.

Although digital violence is our specific focus today, it sits within the wider continuum of gender-based violence that pervades homes, communities, workplaces and public spaces. Globally, the scale is devastating. Around one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. More than a quarter of women aged 15 to 49 who have been in a relationship report that they have been subjected to physical or sexual violence by a partner. As many as 38 per cent of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners. Humanitarian crises, displacement and emergencies heighten those risks and, as we saw during the Covid lockdowns, existing inequalities can quickly escalate into new forms of harm.

Here in Scotland, sexual violence and domestic abuse have persistently increased. We are also witnessing a rise in misogynistic abuse in transport, healthcare and education settings—and, of course, online—yet, despite the commitments that have been made, the Scottish Government has not prioritised the roll-out of the equally safe strategy, nor backed it with the long-term resources that are required.

The decision to drop the planned misogyny bill was a profound disappointment. Given the First Minister’s stated commitment to tackling misogynistic abuse, it was a moment when actions failed to match words. If we are to protect women and girls effectively, we need legislation, proper funding and decisive leadership.

There is growing evidence on what works to prevent violence against women. The RESPECT women framework, with its seven strategies and range of interventions, highlights successful interventions that prioritise women’s safety, challenge unequal gender power relationships, are participatory and start early in life. If we are to achieve lasting change, we need to enact and enforce legislation, allocate resources to prevention and response, and implement policies that promote gender equality. As elected members, it is our responsibility to push the Scottish Government to deliver on those principles.

It is equally important that we support education and awareness within our own communities. I am grateful to the many survivors who, despite trauma and loss, continue to empower others and help to create change. Tomorrow evening, I will join the Fife reclaim the night march in Dunfermline and the “Let’s talk” event afterwards, which is part of an on-going community effort to end violence against women and girls.

Across schools in Fife, many pupils participate in the mentors in violence prevention programme, which equips young people with the language and confidence to challenge the attitudes and cultural norms that underpin gender-based violence, bullying and abuse. It encourages active bystander behaviour and empowers young women to support their peers. Although I understand that all local authorities engage with the programme, delivery is not consistent across all schools. Time pressures and competing priorities create challenges, but we must ensure that schools are supported to deliver that vital preventative work.

In the digital sphere, we know that online platforms have become fertile ground for misogyny, harassment, grooming and coercive control. I recognise the steps that have been taken by the UK Government through the Online Safety Act 2023, which, though not without implementation challenges, is a necessary and important step in delivering stronger protections for young people. Online spaces have been difficult to police precisely because safety was not built into platform design from the outset. Holding platforms accountable for the content and behaviour that they host is overdue.

The motion highlights the UN Women “UNiTE to end digital violence against all women and girls” campaign, which rightly asserts that digital safety is now central to gender equality. It calls for co-ordinated action across Governments, tech companies, institutions and individuals. It mirrors the approach that we must take: requiring transparency about harms such as cyberbullying, online abuse and harmful content; promoting digital environments that are resilient to disinformation; and ensuring that Ofcom delivers on its role in safety by design, transparency, agile regulation and inclusivity.

We should not underestimate the difference between the online world today and the environment in which many adults grew up. Children and young people navigate risks that did not exist even a decade ago. Research into the impacts of smartphones and social media on wellbeing, particularly for girls and young women, is still emerging, and policy makers must not lag behind the technological realities that are shaping young people’s lives.

The rise in misogynistic content across social media and mainstream online platforms has serious consequences. It normalises abusive language, harmful behaviours and even physical violence.

The normalisation of non-fatal strangulation, linked to depictions of choking in mainstream pornography, contributes to the culture of abuse that we must challenge. Banning the depiction of strangulation in pornography is a necessary step, but we cannot stop there. Broader action is required to confront the commercial structures and cultural norms that fuel online misogyny.

I wish to close by speaking about the case of Demi Hannaway, whose family I have been supporting. A fresh investigation is now under way, and I will not comment on its progress, but I want to acknowledge the recent reporting in the Sunday Post on misogyny and sexism in Police Scotland and the very real concerns that Demi’s family have about whether those attitudes influenced the initial investigation. Demi endured domestic abuse, and, despite police call-outs, charges were pursued only due to the persistence and courage of her family, under the most awful circumstances.

Demi’s family were among those who gathered outside the Parliament recently at the vigil for women whose lives have been taken by male violence. We owe it to them, and to every woman and girl experiencing abuse, to redouble our efforts to end this violence in all its forms, including online. The Parliament must unite in its commitment and act decisively. Only then can we hope to build the safer and more equal society that women and girls deserve.