Gender policy coherence: annual statement - easy read

Accountability

Being responsible for your actions.

The Advisory Council told us:

• that when people do not treat women and girls equally or harm them in any way they must be held accountable

• the way that women and girls are shown on TV and in the news can change the way we think about equality

To try to make people and organisations responsible for their actions:

• we gave money to start the Equal Media and Culture Centre for Scotland

The Centre:

• looks at how women are talked about on TV and in the news
• gives information to people that work in TV and the news to help them talk about women and girls in a way that treats them fairly

• our funding to make guidance for people working in the media will help them report on violence against women and girls in a way that does not hurt victims

• we set up the Women’s Justice

Leadership Panel in January 2022

This group included women that work in justice like lawyers and police officers.

They talk about ways that we can make justice better for women and girls.

• our funding for the Sexual Assault Coordination Service supports them to give medical care and support for people who have been victims of rape or sexual assault

• we changed the law so that victims of rape of sexual assault can get healthcare without having to report the assault to the police first

• we gave money for legal advice and legal aid for women who have experienced men’s violence

• in 2018 we changed the law on domestic abuse in Scotland to cover:
• psychological abuse
• controlling behaviour
• violent abuse

• a new law called the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act will protect women and girls from hate crimes they might experience because they are women and girls