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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 10 July 2025
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Displaying 1131 contributions

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Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 31 January 2024

Rona Mackay

That is great.

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

That is why I am questioning you on it. That is fine—you have answered the point.

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

Finally, did your research include taking any evidence from survivors?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

Did it have an impact on the scope for rape myths et cetera to impact the outcome?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

Going back to the 43 per cent, do you agree that that is a rape myth? You just said that judges have—

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

It is not a question of knocking it down; I am just questioning you about the 43 per cent. You are saying that action was taken on that, which proves that some rape myths are evidential.

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

Does that happen a lot?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

Good morning. Professor Thomas, your research casts doubt on the existence, or the prevalence, of rape myths. However, your results show that 43 per cent agreed with the statement:

“I would expect anyone that was raped to be very emotional when giving evidence in court”.

We heard some very powerful evidence from survivors, one of whom said that she felt that she was penalised because she was not crying; it was not how she was dealing with her trauma on that particular day. She was also told that she could not sit in the public gallery, because it would be a bad look. We have heard a lot of evidence like that.

Another part of your research says that 23 per cent agreed or were not sure that,

“If a woman sends sexually explicit texts or messages to a man she should not accuse him of rape later on”.

I find that very concerning. The numbers that I have quoted—43 per cent and 23 per cent—are not small. Do you find that concerning?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

I have a brief supplementary question on what you have just said. I understand that you have been involved in civil cases involving personal injury actions for rape et cetera, in which the decision was made by a judge sitting alone. Does that change the way that the case is presented?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 24 January 2024

Rona Mackay

That is interesting. Thank you.