Police Scotland 'risks alienating women' with stance on sex and gender
For Women Scotland is calling on the Scottish Police Authority to discuss the issue of the force’s statement
Feminist campaigners have called for Scotland’s police watchdog to press the force on why the public was told a male suspect is a woman.
For Women Scotland, the group responsible for the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of sex, said Police Scotland risks “alienating women”.
They refer to a statement following the arrest of a male suspect after an ‘unknown substance’ was found on a lamppost in Edinburgh.
The police service said the alleged perpetrator was a “30-year-old woman”.
A spokeswoman told The Scotsman that accuracy would “move from a discussion about data recording to one that engages a person’s human rights, and their right to a private life”.
However, in a letter to the force, Trina Budge Director of For Women Scotland, said: “Police Scotland is in serious danger of alienating women by attributing a crime committed by a man to that of a woman.
“How can the public have confidence or trust in the police if clear and obvious lies are told?
“And it begs the question that if a man was charged with a male specific crime such as rape, is there still a possibility he could be described by the police as a woman?
“How does any of this help encourage additional reports of crime once an arrest has been reported by the press?”
Police Scotland last week faced criticism from gender critical think tank Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, who said the force is “eroding public trust” with its stance on gender.
It further emerged the force’s human rights advisor, Jane Gordon, was awarded a £1 million contract for a five-year piece of work.
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In a letter to Police Scotland and to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), Ms Budge asks: “In order to help us understand how Police Scotland arrived at this inconsistent position could you please state who advised on human rights, and what advice was given?”
For Women Scotland has called on the SPA to discuss the matter at its meeting on September 24.
Chief Superintendent Joanne McEwan said: “As part of our sex and gender review, we have made clear policy decisions and issued interim guidance relating to data recording standards which reflects the Chief Constable’s commitment that Police Scotland will record a person’s biological sex as registered at birth and, where relevant, their transgender status, for suspects and victims of all crimes and offences.”
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