Survivors of sexual abuse urged to take part in project to change the justice system

It comes on the same day as a rally, which is being held outside the Scottish Parliament to highlight the difficulty in reporting sexual abuse.

Published 10th Oct 2019

Survivors of rape, sexual assault and childhood abuse are being urged to tell their story as part of an attempt to re-shape the Scottish legal system.

Campaign group Speak Out Survivors has launched the #HearMyVoice project - which aims to highlight the extent of sexual violence in Scotland.

The intent is those affected record their experiences including their name, the age at which they were assaulted or first abused.

The group was set up by Emma Bryson, Suzy Angus and Shirley Ross - who are all survivors of rape and blame the Scottish legal system for allowing their alleged attackers to avoid prosecution.

Spokeswoman Emma Bryson said: "We are holding a rally outside the parliament to highlight the obstacles faced by survivors of sexual offences who engage with the criminal justice system, including the way that Scots law effectively protects offenders from prosecution, the low rate of convictions, and how sentencing fails to reflect the fact that these are serious crimes which often have life-changing consequences for the victim.

"We want to give more victims and survivors the opportunity for their voices to be heard and so we will be launching an audio project, entitled #HearMyVoice on the same day."

Those taking part in the project are asked to make a recording on their phone and send it to info@speakoutsurvivors.co.uk.