Specified evidence relevance within Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill consultation: FOI release

Information requested

This is a request information relating to the statements at pp 174-5 of the consultation paper on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, issued on 17 December 2019, quoted below:

"The Scottish Government has not identified any evidence supporting the claim that trans women are more likely than non-trans women to sexually assault other women in women-only spaces. Much of the literature reiterates this lack of any evidence, legal, medical or otherwise, to support this characterisation of trans women as ‘deviant’ or predatory. In addition to concerns about the inclusion of trans women in women-only spaces and services, some respondents expressed concerns that predatory men posing as trans women would seek to gain access to women only spaces and services for malicious reasons."

"The Scottish Government has not identified any evidence supporting a link between women-only spaces being inclusive of transgender women, and nontrans men falsely claiming a trans identity to access these spaces and commit sexual violence. Other sources identified reiterated that there is a lack of any evidence to support this claim to access these spaces and commit sexual violence. Other sources identified reiterated that there is a lack of any evidence to support this claim."

Please could you provide details of the process by which the Scottish Government sought to establish what relevant evidence was available, including exchanges with third parties regarding the availability of such evidence (copies of correspondence, details of any meetings or phone conversations, and, where available, records of meetings), what evidence was considered by the Scottish Government, and any analysis of relevant evidence produced or commissioned by the Scottish Government, or otherwise provided to it.

 

Response

The information you requested was provided in response to a series of parliamentary questions available at:
https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx? SearchType=Simple&Keyword=Gender%20Recognition&ExactPhrase=True&DateChoice=0&MSPId=5877&4.

The Scottish Government worked on the evidence base for the consultation in-house. The Scottish Government Library carried out a literature search and a literature review was developed based on the results. Evidence and information provided in response to the 2017/2018 consultation and the independent analysis of those responses were also considered.

Further information was provided in FOI release FOI/202000011201 at:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202000011201/.

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the websites listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

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