WHAT an excellent article by Assa Samake-Roman in Wednesday’s National (Patriarchy is in the dock at French rape trial). Her clear and devastating analysis of the misogyny that women are still subject to shows how far we have to go.
In the 70s, as young women trying to navigate the sexism of employment, public transport, social occasions and the like, we couldn’t articulate how we felt when men didn’t respect our boundaries.
We were dismissed as ”frigid”, “humourless”, ugly etc when we tried to express how this patriarchal behaviour made us feel: threatened, silenced, powerless. Until the women’s movement there was the sense that we were alone in feeling like this, and that was just how things were.
READ MORE: Kemi Badenoch criticised over 'excessive' maternity pay comments
Sure, there have been changes for the good, but the chilling statistics of femicide, rape and the terror of ongoing domestic violence show that hateful and dangerous attitudes to women and girls prevail.
I’m not even talking about these serious, life-threatening scenarios when I ask – how can we improve matters on a day-to-day basis?
I still hear older men “jokingly” asking children for a kiss, and when called out for it they become defensive and say they mean no harm, but it is grooming young girls to take it, putting the man’s fragile masculinity over the child’s confusion and fear.
A popular belief is that if abusers are found not guilty of actual criminality in a court of law, that means there is no harm done. There is plenty of harm done to the accuser’s credibility and sense of safety and much behaviour that is odious and unacceptable nevertheless. But the women are still expected to bear the shame.
READ MORE: Ruth Wishart: Al Fayed and the misogyny that too often goes unpunished
If women try to draw attention to sleazy behaviour they are called shrill and worse, and men feel able to retreat to victimhood and putting the blame on women. We allow harmful myths to go unchallenged at rape trials, contributing to the woeful conviction rates. We are still not equipping our young women to calmly assert what they find unacceptable, and there is much to be done around the concept of consent.
There are so many examples of how we are failed, but what can we do to improve matters?
I have heard only disparaging remarks about Sadiq Khan’s “Maaate” campaign, but I thought it was a good start, giving men the tools to call out misogyny and sleaze in everyday life. It was informed and well thought out and gives men the framework and vocabulary to change the narrative that is so badly needed.
With the current atrocities of Al-Fayed and Dominique Pelicot ringing in our ears and the unforgivable responses from some quarters, is it too much to ask that decent men who are not abusers step up and play their part in transforming our society for the better?
Patricia Gilgannon
Dunoon
AN article in Friday’s National proclaimed “Scotland hits new high in renewable power generation”. Ironically I read it just after I read my electricity and gas meters at the request of my energy supplier. I had been requested to forward these readings so that, in effect, they could charge me their increased rate from the start of October.
It seems that Scotland has generated more renewable electricity so far this year than in any other. In the first half of 2024, Scotland generated 18 GWh of renewable electricity, up 13.7% on 2023.
READ MORE: Scottish university to play leading role in hydrogen production
Gillian Martin, our ever optimistic Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, said “these are hugely encouraging figures, with the long-term trend showing a significant increase in the amount of renewable electricity generated in Scotland.” The rather obvious question is – encouraging for whom? I certainly do not feel encouraged at the thought of my higher fuel bills. I do not feel encouraged by the fact that my government cannot or will not continue Winter Fuel Payments or even involve itself in the highly profitable energy business.
Interestingly, Scotland’s total energy consumption continues to fall. The total energy consumption of households in Scotland has seen an 11% fall from 2021. The largest reductions have been in household electricity and gas consumption. Might that be related to the price increases, Ms Martin?
As of June 2024, there are 830 potential renewable electricity projects including battery and pumped hydro storage within the planning and construction pipeline. There are 75 projects under construction, most of which are wind or battery storage technologies. There are 455 projects which have had planning applications approved and are awaiting construction and a further 300 projects which have submitted planning applications.
It is very clear that the private sector sees these power-related projects as a licence to print money and to squeeze every last penny from the shivering Scottish energy consumer while exporting south what we can clearly no longer afford.
When is the Scottish Government going to wake up to this situation? It should not be left to a pensioner couple from Coatbridge, aided by former First Minister Alex Salmond and the Govan Law Centre, to fight for us.
Brian Lawson
Paisley
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here