New campaign urges men to take responsibility for sexual violence

A new police campaign is urging men to take responsibility for sexual violence against women as offences soar.

That Guy targets 18 to 35-year-olds and encourages them to examine their own behaviour and to challenge their peers.

Police Scotland said the campaign's key messages were aimed at all sectors of society, including its own officers.

Its launch comes after a tribunal last week found evidence of a "sexist culture" in an armed policing unit in Edinburgh.

The force has ordered an independent review into the case which was brought by former firearms officer Rhona Malone.

That Guy asks viewers whether they recognise themselves in a 60-second clip which outline a number of scenarios, from getting a woman drunk to making an inappropriate approach on social media.

The new campaign will run across social media channels

Dep Ch Con Malcolm Graham told BBC Scotland: "The campaign that we are launching today is strongly linked to ensuring there is a challenge everywhere in society, and that certainly includes Police Scotland.

"I'm certainly encouraging widespread conversations within Police Scotland about what that attitude and behaviour, that at times we have seen, means. What it means to women and how it makes women feel."

The senior officer said all men have a duty to challenge such words and actions that cross the line.

He added: "It is that type of culture that can permit things to escalate, in a smaller number of cases, to serious sexual crime and violence."

In the first quarter of this year 3,720 sexual crimes were recorded in Scotland compared to 2,992 for the same period in 2019/10 - an increase of 24.3%.

And police said the number of rapes reported between April and June increased by almost 35%, from 468 to 631.

The period also saw a six-year high in the number of reported sexual crimes - both recent and non-recent - and detections.

DCC Malcolm Graham launched the campaign

DCC Graham said the campaign, which will run on several online platforms and across social media, was designed to help women live without fear for their safety.

The deputy chief constable said: "It's time that we men reflected on our own behaviours and attitudes - and those of our friends, family and colleagues - towards women in order to prevent rape, sexual assault and harassment.

"We want all women to be free to live their lives without worrying about their safety.

"Women are not responsible for the sexual offences committed against them and should be able to go about their daily lives without worrying about being sexually harassed, assaulted or raped."

'Absolute hell'

Rhona Malone's case was brought after a senior officer said two female armed officers should not be deployed together.

Her victimisation claims succeeded but a sex discrimination claim was dismissed.

After the verdict she told BBC Scotland she had been through "absolute hell".

Mr Graham said the force has apologised and would continue to identify any lessons that can be learned from the case.

He added: "We know that the trust and confidence that communities have in policing is really strong in Scotland and it relies on our ability to consistently demonstrate and reassure people that they can trust us with the most critical issues.

"Part of that is ensuring that our own people are supported and that people feel valued when they are at work."

Last year a major review led by a former Lord Advocate said the police watchdog should be given greater powers to deal with complaints against the national force.

Dame Elish Angiolini QC also highlighted concerns about the treatment of recruits from ethnic minorities, the LGBTI community and women.