London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Justice secretary: Misogyny may become a stand-alone crime in Scotland

Justice secretary: Misogyny may become a stand-alone crime in Scotland

Misogynistic abuse could be come a separate crime in Scotland, the justice secretary has said.

Keith Brown said men's attitude to low level sexism had to be challenged to make women safer.

His comments follow the sentencing of Wayne Couzens for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard while Couzens was a serving police officer in London.

A working group led by Helena Kennedy QC on whether misogyny should be a distinct crime will report in February.

The full details of the Sarah Everard case, which emerged when he was sentenced last week, have reignited debate on what more can be done to tackle violence against women.

In March the Scottish government faced calls to include misogyny - prejudice against women - in its hate crime legislation when it was debated at Holyrood.

Labour MSP Johann Lamont tabled an amendment that would have included women as a protected group, giving the courts enhanced sentencing powers.

The amendment was defeated, however, with the government instead setting up a working group led by Baroness Kennedy to look at whether misogynistic abuse should be a separate crime.

Mr Brown told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show the ministers would be guided by the group's findings - but he believed such a move would be a "very important signal that these behaviours are not acceptable in society from men".

"Her work is progressing very well and it may well be that we end up, depending on her recommendations, with a stand alone offence of misogyny," Mr Brown said.

Police vetting procedures


Mr Brown welcomed Police Scotland's introduction of new verification checks for lone police officers as a "very positive step" after it emerged that Couzens used his police warrant card and handcuffs to abduct Ms Everard.

New procedures mean members of the public who encounter an officer working alone in Scotland can verify their identity with the police control room.

The justice secretary said the measures put "the onus on the police not women to take action if somebody is in a vulnerable situation with one police officer".

Extra vetting procedures had also been put in place for trainee police officers in Scotland, he said.

The justice secretary said men of all ages had to change their attitudes to low level misogyny.

"I think it is very important that I have to say this, as a man to men, we have have to change our behaviour," he said.

"There are too many women that feel the justice system doesn't serve them well."

Sandy Brindley, from Rape Crisis Scotland, said one of the most "chilling" aspects of the Sarah Everard case was that Couzens was reportedly nicknamed "the rapist" by colleagues.

"What that says to me is that people knew that he behaved in a predatory way towards women and nobody held him accountable, and nobody challenged him - that's what we need to change," she said.

Asked about a report last year from former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini that found evidence of a "canteen culture" and discrimination within Police Scotland, Ms Brindley said there was no doubt sexist and racist attitudes existed within the police as well as in many other institutions.

"I do think we need a clear commitment from the police to address these issues, but I don't think it's only for the police," she said.

"Time and time again we see a man convicted of a crime like rape where it turns out that people around them, people who worked with them were aware of their predatory behaviour, an institution was aware of it and took no steps to challenge it.

"We need zero tolerance of the type of behaviour that leads for example being called a rapist and still continue in their job."

She said a "complete cultural change" was needed, pointing out that rape had the lowest conviction rate of any crime type in Scotland.

Only 43% of rape cases brought before a court end in conviction, compared with 88% of other crimes.

"If you are serious about improving women's safety, the starting point has to be having a justice system we can have confidence in and also a justice system that does not systematically let men who are guilty of rape walk free," she said.


Scottish Justice Secretary Keith Brown says misogyny could become a 'stand-alone offence' in Scotland

Sandy Brindley says cultural change is needed to enable more people to challenge misogynistic attitudes


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×