Commission to look into violence against women and girls

Scottish Liberal Democrats this week called for a commission to look into violence against women and girls and consider ways to make society more hospitable to them.

Party leader Willie Rennie and equalities spokesperson Caron Lindsay (who is also the party's candidate for Almond Valley) are asking all five major parties to commit to a commission to look into these issues and report back with recommendations within the first year of the new Parliament.

“We've seen over the past few days how angry women feel about the fact that we don't always feel safe on the streets. For too many, home is a dangerous place too,” said Caron Lindsay. “Every woman has a story to tell about a time when they felt seriously scared by the behaviour of men while they were out walking. It can be a man being aggressive to you if you refuse their attention, it can be a man getting too close or trying to talk to you when there's nobody else around. Rarely, it can mean actual violence. It shouldn't be like that. We should be safe.”

“We need to look at how we prevent violence against women and girls at all levels,” she explained.

“A commission looking at areas like education, justice, and council services would be a way to keep these issues at the forefront of people's minds and show a commitment to making things better. I hope that every party can get behind this approach and commit to making this happen.”

According to Sally Pattle, the party’s candidate for Linlithgow, “In Linlithgow, Almond Valley and across the rest of Scotland, too many women are afraid.”

“From council services to the court system we need a fresh look at how these services operate and how they might be improved,” she said. “I hope all of my opponents in the forthcoming election will join me in pledging to support a commission to look into how services can serve women and girls better.”