Concerns have been raised over whether the system is failing victims of sexual harassment in Scotland as warnings intensify over the impact the Alex Salmond saga has had on the momentum for change brought about by the #MeToo movement. Similarly, the First Division Association, which represents the country’s most senior civil servants, is not aware of any complaints of sexual harassment since two female civil servants came forward in January 2018 with their concerns about Salmond. Andy Wightman, who sat as an independent member on the Holyrood inquiry, acknowledges the chilling effect: “It was damaging to the complainers and damaging to other people. “All parties have a role to play,” said Aamer Anwar, the human rights lawyer who first drew attention to the scale of sexual harassment at Holyrood in October 2017. As Wightman pointed out during the inquiry evidence session with the SNP chief executive, Peter Murrell, the SNP’s code of conduct does not mention sexual harassment specifically.

Source: The Guardian March 26, 2021 14:13 UTC