Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, March 9, 2023

Official Report 1001KB pdf

Decision Time

There are three questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that amendment S6M-08159.2, in the name of Jamie Greene, which seeks to amend motion S6M-08159, in the name of Keith Brown, on reforming the criminal law to address misogyny, be agreed to.

Amendment agreed to.

The next question is, that amendment S6M-08159.1, in the name of Pauline McNeill, which seeks to amend motion S6M-08159, in the name of Keith Brown, on reforming the criminal law to address misogyny, be agreed to.

Amendment agreed to.

The final question is, that motion S6M-08159, in the name of Keith Brown, on reforming the criminal law to address misogyny, as amended, be agreed to.

Motion, as amended, agreed to,

That the Parliament condemns the misogynistic behaviour, harassment, threats and abuse experienced by women and girls; notes that such behaviour is carried out mainly by men and represents a barrier to achieving equality by restricting the ability of women and girls to achieve their full potential in all aspects of everyday life; is concerned at the increase in online spaces being used to perpetrate such misogynistic behaviours, allowing people to hide behind anonymity; agrees that action needs to be taken to address such behaviour; thanks the independent Working Group on Misogyny, which is chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy, for its considered report on how to reform criminal law to address misogyny; welcomes the publication of a consultation paper on draft legislative provisions to implement the Group’s recommendations; notes that the Scottish Government will carefully consider responses to the consultation to ensure that legislation introduced in the Parliament appropriately and effectively criminalises this type of pernicious behaviour; recognises that legislation alone will not eradicate the centuries-old cultural attitudes that drive such behaviour, and that wider action to address misogyny and promote equality is equally important to change male behaviour and deliver equality for women and girls; supports these efforts as part of wider reforms to the criminal justice system; urges the Scottish Government to consider how its proposed Criminal Justice Reform Bill might also be used to deliver better outcomes for women and girls; appreciates that this is complicated work that needs scrutiny, but regrets that it has taken so many years only to get to consultation level; recognises how important wider education is, particularly for young people, to generate the fundamental shift in attitude that is needed, and notes the importance of recognising the toxicity of social media.

That concludes decision time.