Rape Crisis slates Alex
Women’s group angry at bid to meet legal bill via crowdfunding
SCOTLAND’S leading rape charity has launched a blistering attack on Alex Salmond’s response to sexual harassment allegations.
Two complaints from his time as First Minister have been referred to police by the Scottish Government and Mr Salmond, who strongly denies harassment or criminality, has launched his own legal action against the government he once led.
He has raised £100,000 through a Crowdfunder appeal, which closed yesterday, to help meet his Court of Session costs.
But the appeal also attracted comments from supporters, many of whom attacked the female complainants, and accused them of being ‘snakes’ and a ‘Tory plant’.
Now Rape Crisis Scotland is concerned that victims will be less likely to speak out in future for fear of not being believed and of encountering similar abuse.
Sandy Brindley, chief executive, wrote: ‘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 Nicola Sturgeon, who said on Friday: ‘How we deal with this, how we are seen to respond to this, will say a lot about who we are as a party and about the country we are today and want to build for the future.’
Yesterday Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, 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.’
But Mr Salmond argued it was the way in which the Scottish Government had handled the complaints that could stop victims reporting in future.
Responding to the criticisms, a spokesman for Mr Salmond said last night: ‘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.’