RONA MACKAY SAYS BOLD INNOVATIVE THINKING REQUIRED
Strathkelvin and Bearsden SNP MSP Rona Mackay has chaired a roundtable in the Scottish Parliament on the role of the media in tackling violence against women and girls in Scotland.
The roundtable heard from a panel of experts and campaigners including Zero Tolerance, Engender Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland, Professor Karen Boyle of the University of Strathclyde, and representatives from Scottish media.
The discussion explored, among other ideas, how gender stereotypes and poor reporting perpetuates male gender-based violence in society, and the ways campaigners and parliamentarians can work together with the media in Scotland to do better.
Commenting, Rona Mackay MSP said: “Tackling male violence requires bold, innovative thinking that doesn’t leave any stone unturned. I was thrilled to welcome the chance to host this roundtable on such an important issue and discuss how we can work together with Scottish media to tackle gender-based violence.
“We know that poor reporting does a great deal of damage, not only in cultivating an environment where gender-based violence can grow, but on wider society and the harmful attitudes it encourages.
“The Scottish Government is already taking action on male violence against women through the implementation of Equally Safe: Scotland's strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, and investing record funding for prevention and support projects, and I look forward to working to find new ways we can make Scotland safer for women and girls."