News
Funding boost to improve Rape Crisis support for survivors
We were delighted to welcome
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for
Social Security and Older People, to the
Rape Crisis Scotland offices this morning.
The visit followed the First Minister's announcement earlier this week in the Programme for Government of an additional £1.5 million funding (over three years) for Rape Crisis Centres to help improve the support available to survivors of sexual violence.
Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
“The Scottish
Government has taken many actions to take forward our commitment to preventing
and eradicating violence against women and girls. This includes investment in prevention work,
frontline services and improvements in the justice system, as well as the
introduction of landmark legislation on domestic abuse, abusive behaviour and sexual
harm.
[Photo: Shirley-Anne Somerville with Rape Crisis Scotland Director of Operations Sandie Barton]
Doctorate honours work to end sexual violence
We are truly delighted this week to be celebrating something very special and
unusual : the conferring of
an honorary doctorate from Glasgow University on our Chief Executive Sandy
Brindley.
Sandy was nominated for this distinction by Professor Michele Burman, Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences and Professor of Criminology at the university, whose reasons for doing so are outlined in the generous and fulsome submission she made to the University Senate and gave kind permission for us to reprint below.
[Photo: Dr Sandy Brindley with Professor Michele Burman]
A letter to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
We write to express our significant concern with respect to your letter
dated 8th of March outlining the shift in approach of the Crown Office
in dealing with reluctant complainers in rape cases, effective from
today, and ask that you urgently reconsider this change to policy.
We share the knowledge that rape is an awful crime that can leave a
lasting and profound impact on those who experience this violence. It is
no secret that the concept of justice is one that is frequently far
removed from the reality of survivors of sexual violence in Scotland
today. I know you are also aware of the many barriers that stand in the
way for those who pursue justice and even though considerable work has
been done to address and remove these obstacles there remains a stubborn
gap between those who experience sexual violence and their ability to
access justice and we are clear that there is much more to do.
Conviction rate for rape and attempted rape falls to lowest level since 2008/09
New figures published today by the Scottish Government show that the level of convictions in Scotland for rape and attempted rape has fallen for the second year in a row, with only 39% of cases prosecuted leading to a conviction.
Civil justice option for survivors
Highlighted in the media today is a forthcoming landmark civil
case brought
by a woman from St Andrews following a not proven verdict in
the case against the man accused of raping her.
Following the successful civil case for damages pursued last year by Denise Clair against David Goodwillie and David Robertson, Rape Crisis Scotland has seen increasing numbers of survivors in touch with us who say they are considering civil action as an option for them following the absence of any criminal prosecution, or one that has resulted in a not guilty or not proven verdict.
RSSLatest posts
- Remembering Tansy Main
- Sex crimes in Scotland reach second-highest level in 54 years
- RCS calls for the Scottish Government and MSPs to work together to introduce key legislation for survivors of sexual crime
- Changes announced by the Sottish Government to the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill
- Landmark judgment on corroboration in sexual offence cases
