Meghan Gallacher (Central
Scotland) (Con):...Aside from domestic abuse, sexual
crimes are also at near-record levels. We have all noticed the
recent reports of spiking by
injection. That has been raised in the Parliament and it must be
tackled, in order to protect women when they are trying to enjoy
an evening out at a bar or nightclub. I appeal to businesses that
have kits that test for spiking:
please make those available to women, free of charge. I know that
some are already doing so, and I commend them for putting in
place measures to protect women from violence and abuse...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland
Islands) (LD):...The media, including social media,
has a significant role to play in how it reports violence against
women and girls. The subtle—and sometimes not so subtle—headline
victim shaming must cease. We have known for too long about
drinks being spiked on nights out, but the
relatively new phenomenon of needle spiking hit
the headlines recently. It is shocking. Rather than lessening its
impact by giving it the almost jokey term of “spiking”, let us
call it out for what it is: the intention of a perpetrator to
render someone incapable so that they can sexually assault and
abuse them. It happens predominantly but not exclusively to young
women...
Elena Whitham (Carrick,
Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP):...Closer to home,
CountingDeadWomen, which is a campaign on Twitter, is, today,
bearing witness to the women who have been murdered in the UK so
far this year. Naming a woman every five minutes from 8 am this
morning will take more than 11 hours to complete. That is a
staggering 126 women murdered at the hands of men. That clearly
demonstrates the absolute reality of the patriarchal system that
still operates here and across the world. That reality includes
recent horrific murders, FGM, spiking
attacks, online misogynistic abuse, rape culture and
so-called honour killings...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow)
(Lab):...We must tackle the root causes of male
attitudes and male violence against women. It comes in many
forms; from sexual harassment, domestic abuse and revenge
pornography to female genital mutilation, human trafficking,
child brides, stealthing, rape and femicide. The list goes on. I
do not think that there has been a time where parents have been
more concerned for their daughters’ safety. Other members have
talked about the recent horrific crimes of spiking,
including bodily spiking of
women, which renders them unconscious for reasons that we know
only too well...
Evelyn Tweed (Stirling)
(SNP):...Recently, many constituents have contacted
me with complaints about spiking.
The initial police messaging was less than I had hoped for. I
welcome the focus that , the Cabinet Secretary for
Justice and Veterans, has put on the issue. He stated:
“We should be absolutely clear that women are not to blame. Any
suggestion that women are in the wrong place at the wrong time,
is utterly wrongheaded. The onus and responsibility should be put
squarely at the feet of men, who must take responsibility for
their behaviour.”—[Official Report, 28 October 2021; c 4.]
Carol Mochan (South
Scotland) (Lab):...Another issue mentioned during
the debate, which is part of the same problem, is the fact that
women now feel that they have to boycott clubs and bars up and
down the country in response to serious concerns about increases
in drink spiking.
For years, those concerns have been met only with public
relations campaigns and awareness-raising approaches, but how
many people are convicted of spiking
drinks, or of similar activities, in Scotland—a charge known as
“drugging”? Over the past three years, where there is data
available, the answer is that no one has been charged, so either
all those women are making up the problem or the crime is not
being detected at all. If that many men were saying that they had
fallen victim to spiking, I
wonder whether the statistics would be the same...
Tess White (North East
Scotland) (Con):...It gets worse, not better. Evelyn
Tweed, Meghan Gallacher and Beatrice Wishart highlighted the
serious issue of spiking,
which has once again come to light in recent weeks, including in
my region of north-east Scotland. Women are covering their
glasses on a night out, they are wearing thick fabrics to prevent
a needle penetrating, or they are choosing to stay home...
To read the whole debate, CLICK HERE
