News / Tackling gender-based violence a ‘whole community issue’, charity says
AN EMPHASIS should be placed on preventing violence against women and girls in Shetland, and treating it as a whole community issue for the isles.
That is the view of more than 110 women who responded to a Shetland Women’s Aid (SWA) survey about experiences in the isles, with the results released today (Monday).
SWA said that change-makers should prioritise stopping harm against women and girls before it happens, with calls for “structured, ongoing education” in Shetland’s schools.
And there have been calls to make community spaces safer for women after a number of respondents raised concerns about being attacked in pubs, clubs or at fire festivals.
Of the 116 women who responded during a 16-day survey period, more than half – 66 women – said they had been affected by gender-based violence in the isles.
Just 16 of those women said they had reported their experience to the police, meaning that more than three-quarters chose not to.
One respondent said there was a “misunderstanding that Shetland is safe” for women.
“In fact, it’s often worse here as people don’t talk about it and brush it under the carpet,” they wrote.
SWA said that many women spoke about the harm they had experienced here, with numerous people stating that they could had lost count of the amount of times they had been sexually abused.
One person said that they had lived abroad and across the UK, but that Shetland was “by far the worst for sexual violence, in my experience”.
“If every woman in Shetland reported everything that happened to them (from inappropriate touching on nights out, to coerced sex) then the police would be overwhelmed – they’d be dealing with half the population,” one person said.
Another found that misogyny was “so engrained into Shetland culture”, adding: “I think it would be hard to find a woman in Shetland who hasn’t learned to shrink themselves a little bit, just to get by.”
Shetland Women’s Aid said the charity itself came in for fierce criticism in the responses to the survey.
While a number of people praised both it and the Compass Centre for their support for victims of gender-based violence, the SWA said it also received strong abuse.
“A smaller number of responses went further than calling for men to be included, by adopting highly charged language and drawing on wider political narratives,” it said.
“These included accusations of ‘toxic feminism’ and ‘misandry’ towards Shetland Women’s Aid, references to ‘cultural Marxism’, and suggestions that public services are ‘matriarchal’ and therefore responsible for perceived societal decline.
“A limited number of comments linked women’s safety in Shetland to immigration and ‘multiculturalism’.
“While these views were not representative of the majority of responses, their presence is notable.”
The SWA said it also received “personal attacks directed at frontline workers”, including a threat from one person that they would “tell [you] what a load of crap this [is] the next time I see you”.
The charity said that women told them that Shetland’s “culture of victim-shaming” often held them back from speaking out about abuse.
It added that there was a fear of being dismissed or not believed in a small community, which was “palpable throughout our survey”.
Some criticised the police for their responses to reports of sexual violence, or in dealing with domestic abuse incidents.
Others spoke about poor experiences with healthcare professionals, housing staff and with social workers.
The SWA said that systems such as the police and housing had to be “consistent” and “trauma-informed”, with a priority for “safety over reputation”.
In a list of priorities for local changemakers, the SWA said that universal gender-based violence training should be established across public facing roles.
They also called on the Shetland Islands Area Licensing Board to embed gender-based violence training into expectations for licensed premises and ongoing education for Shetland’s schools.
Housing providers such as Hjaltland Housing and Shetland Islands Council should establish safe housing pathways for women leaving abuse, and male leaders in prominent roles should “actively challenge sexist language” and harassment.
You can read the full report here.
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