Time to Tackle Violence Against Women

Elaine Smith MSP

In November, the Scottish Parliament, the Executive led a debate on violence against women to coincide with International Day for the elimination of violence against women. Debates on this subject have taken place on several occasions over the years but have tended to centre on domestic abuse. The Executive has, rightly, focused resources on tackling the latter issue but, until now, has not taken an inter-related approach to the whole continuum of men's violence against women and children.

This debate allowed exploration of some of the prejudices and problems that women face, which manifest themselves as violence against women and children, and considered the International element as well as the domestic situation.

Women's poverty, oppression, inequality and suffering permeate the globe. Wars, such as that in Iraq, which are fought not for freedom and democracy but to advance the interests of global capital, impact most severely on women and children. Around the world and at home, women suffer disproportionately from the effects of poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth and power. No matter whether we are talking about stoning women to death for alleged adultery, female genital mutilation, rape, trafficking or domestic abuse etc, violence against women is a worldwide phenomenon.

The Scottish Executive deserves to be commended for their commitment to tackling violence against women. Their intention to set up an expert group to look at the issue strategically is a very welcome step in the right direction.

Many problems, including violence, that women face in our society need to be tackled in a unified manner as part of a comprehensive approach towards challenging gender discrimination.

Part of the solution lies in changing attitudes that are supported and encouraged by social structures and cultural messages portraying women's needs and rights as less important than men's. Women are still disadvantaged in many areas of their lives; they earn less than men and they are more likely to live in poverty.

One thing that is abundantly clear is tl1at pornography is big business and there are a number of individuals and businesses getting rich from the proceeds

Moreover, they are held back from leadership positions in society not through lack of ability but because they have to meet home and caring responsibilities while holding down paid employment-in other words, the double work day. That kind of structural inequality at social, cultural and political levels gives men the advantage over women and can create the conditions for violence.

Some MSPs have used every opportunity during debates about violence against women to raise the issue of men who suffer domestic abuse. Such violence is, of course unacceptable, but these members are failing to see the big picture: male violence against women is premised on women's inequality and subordination in our society and across the globe.

The continuum of male violence against women and children includes domestic abuse, rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, prostitution and pornography.

On the last of these, the Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee recently considered a petition by Scottish Women Against Pornography (SWAP), which requested that pornography be considered as "incitement to sexual hatred", and be legislated on accordingly. This is undoubtedly a controversial issue, but that doesn't mean it should be avoided. The committee have tasked me, as the gender reporter, with carrying out an inquiry into this and reporting back with my findings.

Until this debate, the Executive have seemed reluctant to explore the issues around pornography and have said that existing research is split between the findings that it does cause harm and that it does not.

However, during the debate the Minister, Malcolm Chisolm, referring to pornography, said "I agree that we need a serious debate about that issue. I also agree... that pornography is predicated on abuse and I look forward to the Equal Opportunities Committee's consideration of the matter."

One thing that is abundantly clear is that pornography is big business and there are a number of individuals and businesses getting rich from the proceeds. Carolyn Leckie MSP pointed out during the debate "Capitalism thrives on and needs the exploitation of women. Prostitution and pornography are seen as just another market for big business and profits to thrive on."

Although the evidence of harm to women who have experienced male violence has been well documented, the underlying connection between all forms of male violence against women has not been properly explored. There is a clear need for the Scottish Executive to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the whole continuum of male violence against women and I look forward with interest to the findings of the expert committee that they have now set up.

The Scottish Executive deserves to be commended for their commitment to tackling violence against women. Their intention to set up an expert group to look at the issue strategically is a very welcome step in the right direction.

We need extensive research that considers male violence against women in the context of a widespread manifestation of gender discrimination that demonstrates the evidence of harm and establishes links between different forms of violence. That information could then be used to help combat all forms of gender discrimination, to produce cohesive social policy that tackles the impact of male violence across all areas of social and public life and to provide enhanced legal protection against male violence, including protection against the harm caused by prostitution and pornography.

The voluntary and statutory sectors in Scotland now have considerable experience of delivering high-quality support services to those wh~ have experienced rape and sexual assault. There is also a growing recognition that agencies have to work together to be effective. For example, the Glasgow violence against women partnership has presented a multi-agency proposal for a pilot rape and sexual assault referral centre that would bring forensic, health and support services together in one location and I am pleased that the Minister indicated his sympathy toward this proposal.

Attacking injustice and winning reform have been an integral part of the long struggle for women's emancipation and the raising of social consciousness. Achieving genuine liberation for women depends on rejecting a social order in which women are systematically undermined by the pervasiveness of all forms of male violence.

However, we must also acknowledge that female oppression, poverty and inequality are directly linked to capitalism and economic exploitation. The eradication of class and labour exploitation and the embracing of true socialism are an essential prerequisite for the emancipation of women at home and around the world

Socialism is, of course, not an automatic solution to gender discrimination and inequality but it creates the conditions to achieve it. Capitalism, on the other hand, is based on inequality of wealth and power and thrives on greed and exploitation.

Welcome though many of the initiatives to tackle violence against women and end gender discrimination are, they will struggle to achieve the end result of the elimination of violence and the delivery of equality, both at home and abroad, whilst we continue to embrace the political and economic tenets of global capitalism.

In the words of Lucy Gair Wilkinson, written at the turn of the previous century and still relevant today; "It is to Socialism that women must look for their freedom; and Socialism can only be achieved by a united working class. Let the women workers of today unite with their brother wage-slaves to put an end to the suffering and subjection in which silent generations of the women of the past have lived and died:'

Elaine Smith is MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston. This article was originally printed in the Morning Star.