This is Not an Invitation to Rape Me

Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie has welcomed the launch of a new public awareness campaign on rape.

“The campaign is intended to create debate about attitudes to rape,” said Cathy, who is Convener of the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Men’s Violence against Women and Children.

“The campaign challenges attitudes that blame women for rape where they have been drinking, dressed in revealing clothing or flirting, and also addresses the issue of rape within marriages and relationships.

“I congratulate Rape Crisis on the striking images that they have used to focus attention on these issues, and I am pleased to see that the motion I have tabled in the Scottish Parliament is attracting cross party support.”

“This is an extremely important campaign to tackle society’s attitudes towards women who are raped. Even though we often don’t realise it, people do make assumptions about a woman depending on the way she dresses, how she behaves and how much she has had to drink. But nobody deserves to experience rape, no matter what she is wearing or whether she has been flirting.

“The purpose of this campaign is to make people think, and to check the judgements they make about people. We want to create debate about this issue as too many women are experiencing the harrowing ordeal of rape without getting the justice they deserve. I urge everyone to take the messages from this campaign on board.”

Fare Deal for community transport

Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie is calling for the national concessionary travel scheme to be extended to include community transport schemes such as Forth Valley’s Dial-a-Journey.

“Scheduled bus services don’t always meet the needs of older and disabled people, and so they can find it difficult to take advantage of the current scheme,” said Cathy.

“More accessible and flexible services such as Dial-a-Journey address that need, but are not covered by the scheme. I think we should use the travel scheme to support voluntary organisations who are meeting the need for transport in areas without bus services and services for people who are unable to use public transport – collectively known as demand responsive transport.
“Over two million journeys are made each year in Scotland using demand responsive community transport schemes. Many of the people making those journeys have or are eligible for a free bus card but are unable to make use of it. Is it fair that although eligible for free travel, they are effectively excluded from the free bus scheme?

“They would not have to pay if they could use regular buses, but as it is, travel costs for accessible transport mean that they are unlikely to travel unless absolutely necessary.”