First Minister addresses calls for islands rape forensic facilities

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said rape victims in island communities “have the same right to justice as a victim of rape anywhere else” and the Scottish Government is reviewing the way in which forensic examinations are undertaken for rape victims.

The First Minister’s statements come after calls were made by support workers in Orkney and Shetland for forensic provision for sexual crimes to be made available in the Northern Isles.

At present, if a person in the islands reports an incident of sexual violence within the given timeframe for testing, they have no choice but to board the public flight to Aberdeen, possibly with a police escort, to be examined by a professional.

A representative from Orkney Rape Crisis has said this could cause further trauma for victims, or prevent them from coming forward at all.

Responding to questions on the issue from Shetland MSP Tavish Scott, during First Minister’ questions time yesterday, Mrs Sturgeon said “We are reviewing the way in which forensic examinations are undertaken for victims of rape to ensure that they are carried out appropriately and sensitively and to bring into force the provision in the Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014 that, for example, allows a victim to make a request about the gender of the examiner who will examine them.

“I fully understand that there are particular issues and challenges when we are dealing with our island communities, but someone who has been the victim of rape in an island community has the same right to access to justice as a victim of rape anywhere else has.

“We will continue to work with Rape Crisis Scotland and other organisations to make progress on those issues.”