That’s rich, Alex
Salmond warned his £100k to fight claims of harassment is potentially intimidating
ALEX Salmond has been blasted by Scotland’s leading rape charity for his response to sexual harassment allegations.
Rape Crisis Scotland said the SNP veteran’s £100,000 crowdfunder appeal for his legal case made it even less likely that victims will speak out for fear of not being believed and of encountering abuse.
Salmond – who strongly denies harassment or criminality after two complaints from his time as First Minister were referred to police – launched his own legal action against the government he once led.
He raised £100,000 through a crowdfunder appeal, which closed on Saturday. The funds are to help meet his Court of Session challenge against the complaints procedure from which he was excluded.
The cash appeal has appalled rape campaigners for signalling that rich and powerful men can intimidate complainants into silence.
The Salmond appeal has also attracted comments attacking the two complainants in the case, causing Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid to condemn the former SNP leader.
Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, said: “The accused, in a matter of days, used his platform to raise more than £100,000 to challenge a process they used to make their complaints.
“This isn’t about politics, it’s about power.”
Her comments echo concerns raised by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, also joined those warning about the impact the ongoing row will have.
She said: “We echo the concerns of Rape Crisis Scotland about the impact of this national conversation on survivors of sexual violence, abuse and harassment.
“The very anxieties and fears that hold survivors back from speaking out – of not being believed, of having their character and motives questioned – have been played out in public for all to see.
“Those with a platform and a voice have power, and in using this power they should be careful that they are not abusing it.”
Salmond has argued it was the way in which the Scottish Government have handled the complaints that could stop victims reporting in future.
A spokesman for Salmond said: “What might deter future complainants from coming forward and shake confidence in the right to make a complaint, is breach of confidentiality such as the planted leaks which have occurred in this case.” Meanwhile, Salmond’s former top adviser defended his old boss yesterday while confirming he could a “hard taskmaster” who could occasionally go “ballistic” with his staff. Kevin Pringle, who worked with the nationalist leader for almost two decades, wrote in a newspaper column: “Equally, Salmond is innocent until proven guilty. “As a private citizen with no office, he is entitled to challenge the process of how the civil service conducted its investigation if he genuinely believes, as he clearly does, that it breached the precepts of justice.” He added: “It’s in everyone’s interests, complainants and those complained against, to have procedures that are beyond legal reproach, carry the confidence of all and protect confidentiality. “The courts and the police will do their job in this case; they don’t need the rest of us to do it for them.”