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Comment: Miss M speaks ahead of vote to scrap not proven verdict

A rape survivor at centre of the campaign to remove the not proven verdict has spoken out ahead of the final stage of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill debate.

Remembering Tansy Main

Sex crimes in Scotland reach second-highest level in 54 years

New figures show that the number of sexual crimes recorded in Scotland is at its second highest level since 1971.

The number of reported rapes and attempted rapes increased by 15 per cent in the space of a year, from 2,522 in 2023-24 to 2,897 in 2024-25. 

Statistics also show an increase of more than 60 per cent over the past decade, from 1,809 to 2,897 cases reported to police.

Rape Crisis Scotland’s Director of Prevention and Training Kathryn Dawson said: “Despite record numbers of reported rape, it has the lowest conviction rate of any crime in Scotland. It also remains incredibly under-reported, so these figures still do not show the full extent of people affected by rape and sexual violence in this country.

“We need a robust criminal justice system that survivors and the wider public can have faith in. But the reality is, Scotland is not doing enough to stop rape before it happens.

“The rise of reported rapes shows a consistent failure to tackle the root causes of sexual violence. We hear from young women and girls who experience sexual harassment and sexual assault at school as an everyday occurrence. We are told about teenage boys quoting dangerous figures like Andrew Tate, and young people being influenced by violent sexual content which is terrifyingly easy to access online.

“Prevention work in Scotland is the first and often only line of defence in stopping this behaviour in its tracks, yet it remains chronically under-resourced. Investing in giving young people the tools and education they need to identify, challenge, and report misogynistic and sexually violent behaviour is the best hope we have of tackling the prevalence of violence against women and girls.”

RCS calls for the Scottish Government and MSPs to work together to introduce key legislation for survivors of sexual crime

Rape Crisis Scotland have released a briefing calling for MSPs to support key provisions in the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, including the establishment of a specialist sexual offences court and changes to the provisions of the contempt of court legislation to allow for approved research with juries.

We are also supporting a number of important additions to the Bill, including a presumption of issuing non harassment orders in sexual offence cases (following the excellent campaigning of Amelia Price) introducing a right to independent advocacy support and introducing a requirement for the criminal justice system to provide a single point of contact for victims.