Hansard

"She dressed the wrong way." "She walked in the wrong place." "She said the wrong thing." "She was asking for it." Sadly, in certain sections of Scottish society, the view still prevails that a woman who has been attacked or raped by a partner or stranger has caused her own problems and pain.

Although we have made great strides in tackling this horror, members must not forget the brutal fact of male violence against women—indeed, of male violence against too many women—or ignore its continued existence in all sections of society or its effect on women and families. I welcome this opportunity to discuss what more can and should be done to eradicate this vile problem, whose very hopelessness is perpetrated by the myths that surround it.

The Executive, in partnership with many voluntary organisations in my constituency of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and throughout Scotland, must be commended for its efforts in combating male violence against women. The message is clear: all forms of violence in Scotland are unacceptable and must be challenged and addressed wherever and whenever they occur. The Executive has made that message very clear through committed funding for every rape crisis centre in Scotland until 2008, continued core funding for Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women's Aid, and powerful awareness-raising work.

We need sophisticated responses to domestic abuse and male violence against women. Public agencies have improved in that respect, but the situation is not yet perfect. Although the police are now much better at assisting women survivors of violence, too many abuse cases remain unreported. Moreover, I am sad to say that some of our police officers are still not responding as they should.

The justice system is beginning to realise that when violence and domestic abuse cases come to court, women need to be supported, not revictimised. However, the number of cases that actually come to court remains shamefully low. The report on the first specialist domestic abuse court, which has been piloted for two years at Glasgow sheriff court, will be published early in 2007. I welcome what appeared to be the minister's commitment to continue that pilot scheme. I believe that the initiative has made a difference in the treatment of domestic abuse cases, and I join Cathy Peattie and Carolyn Leckie in asking that it be extended to other courts. After all, although there are sympathetic ears and understanding minds in our local courts, such cases can take too long to come to court and can be subject to too many delays. That situation is too stressful for the people involved.

Too many women who are victims of male violence or domestic abuse remain reluctant to report the crimes, so we should do everything we can to empower women and to make them feel able to report the people who perpetrate violence against them. If the courts were better equipped to respond to women's needs, more of those women might come forward.

Male violence against women does not differentiate along age lines, racial lines or religious lines and it does not matter what a woman's sexuality might be or where she stays. The fact is that one in 10 women will be the victim of male violence in her lifetime. Those women are wives, mothers, sisters or daughters who deserve our support and every effort that we can make to keep violence against women on the political agenda. I well understand how women such as Maureen Macmillan and Cathy Peattie, who have campaigned for their whole lives on these issues, remain determined to continue the political fight and to eradicate male violence against women.

Domestic abuse and male violence against women require a sophisticated response. I hope that the Executive continues in its efforts to combat the myth, to challenge the perpetrators and to care for the victims. We need to ensure that public servants who work in the front line, whether in our police forces, housing departments or courts, are well trained and supported so that they can offer the care and support that the victims need.

We have heard this afternoon about investment in our future. We need to invest in education so that our young men and women know that violence is not acceptable. If they or their families are victims, they should know that that is not acceptable. Only by supporting and encouraging young people to gain knowledge of the matter will we eradicate male violence against women.

As other members are, I am proud to have been part of a Parliament that has made so many advances. I congratulate the Executive and all the people who are involved in the fight, but we have a way to go yet. I offer my support for the Executive's motion and its efforts to eradicate this disgusting problem.