Access to Change

Timeline

The Scottish Rape Crisis Movement has for over 40 years believed in a society without sexual violence.

This timeline is an account of the strength in taking action together. It charts a movement for change based on extraordinary effort by many individuals working together to respond to the pain and the wrongs experienced by so many survivors in Scotland.

From a handful of women who wanted to “do something”, Rape Crisis centres now support thousands of survivors across Scotland and lead the work on preventing sexual violence. All along the way we have fought for increased support, changes to policy and legislation and greater public awareness of rape and sexual abuse in Scottish society.

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UK Government

Scottish Government

Sex Discrimination Act
Scotland’s first RCC
Anonymity in England and Wales
Sexual history evidence
Private Members Bill campaign
Edinburgh march
Edinburgh RCC opens
CEDAW adopted by UN
CEDAW comes into force
CEDAW ratified in UK
Private homosexual acts decriminalised
“Carol X” case
Central Scotland RCC opens
First marital rape prosecutions
Incest: Fact and Myth
Aberdeen RC opens
Sexual abuse conference
Women’s Support Project
Investigating Sexual Assault!
Sex shop closure campaign
Dundee RC opens
Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act
Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act
Sexual assault investigation guidelines
Conference on Violence Against Women
Kilmarnock RC opens
Scottish Rape Crisis Network constitution approved
Dumfries and Galloway RC opens
Fife RC established
Lanarkshire RC opens
Western Isles RCC opens
Argyll & Bute RC established
RASAC Perth and Kinross opens
RCS National Helpline
Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act
The Equality Act
Scottish Borders RCC established
National Sexual Violence Prevention Programme
RASASH opens in Highlands
Equally Safe strategy published
Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act
Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act
SWRC launched
JustRight Scotland supports SWRC
Shetland and Orkney RCs open
Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act
Leagl Aid for complainers
Limitation (Childhood Abuse) (Scotland) Act
Moray RC opens
Rape civil damages case and End Not Proven
Survivor Reference Group
Scottish Jury Research report
Ending Not Proven: Bill proposed
Equally Safe at School
Sexual offences case management review
International Labour Organisation Convention No. 190