FOI/202400441562 · FOI · partially withheld
Cabinet Secretary rape crisis centre meetings: FOI release
Information requested
1. When Scottish Government Ministers last met with each of the 17 rape crisis centres in Scotland.
2. What the Scottish Government’s policy is regarding dedicated women-only spaces in rape crisis centres in Scotland.
3. What discussion the Scottish Government have had with all 17 rape crisis centres about the provision of dedicated women-only spaces.
4. If the Scottish Government can confirm which rape crisis centres in Scotland offer dedicated women-only spaces (please outline those it can confirm do offer them, those that don’t and those that the SG don’t know if they do).
Response
The answer to your questions are below.
Please note, given there was no timeframe within the questions asked, I have assumed for the answers below that the timeframe is within this year (1 January 2024 to present).
1. Within the last year (1 January 2024 -present) the following Scottish Government Ministers last met with the following rape crisis centres on the following dates:
1. Minister for Equalities, Ms Stewart
13 August 2024 – Glasgow Rape Crisis Centre 16 October 2024 – Grampian Rape Crisis Centre
2. Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs
10 January 2024 – Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee and Angus 30 October 2024 – Rape Crisis Scotland
Please note information about Ministerial engagements are published online through this link: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot
2. The Scottish Government strongly support the separate and single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act 2010. It is the responsibility of service providers to interpret and comply with the Equality Act. As reaffirmed by Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) guidance, the Scottish Government doesnot have the locus to intervene in employment decisions or the operational running of any charitable organisation.
3. Violence against women and girls equalities policy officials have had the following discussions with the following rape crisis centres about the provision of dedicated women-only spaces:
1. Rape Crisis Scotland on 12 August 2024. The issue of dedicated women-only spaces was discussed in light of the independent review of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre.
2. Edinburgh Rape Crisis Scotland on 15 August 2024. The issue of dedicated women-only spaces was discussed in light of the independent review of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre.
3. Glasgow Clyde and Rape Crisis Centre (GCRCC) on 10 September 2024. At this meeting, GCRCC informed officials that they would be disaffiliating from Rape Crisis Scotland. GCRCC confirmed part of the reason for this was their differing views on single sex spaces.
4. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for as it is not a requirement of any of its funding schemes that services should be either single or unisex.
Rape crisis centres are independent and the governance and day-to-day operation of services sits with their Boards. Questions about whether services are single sex or unisex can be addressed by the Boards of the individual organisations.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Contact Please quote the FOI reference Central Correspondence Unit Email: contactus@gov.scot Phone: 0300 244 4000 The Scottish Government St Andrew's House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Detected exemption language
The Scottish Government strongly support the separate and single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act 2010. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
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