Highland politician urges fellow survivors of sexual violence to reach out to those who can help
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A Highland politician who was sexually assaulted has revealed how a "kind, honest, experienced voice" on the other side of the phone rescued her.
Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick – who also serves as the Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees – made her comments after meeting staff at the Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland (RASASH) to talk about its campaigning work against sexual violence.
The independent charity provides support to victims of sexual violence and also has an educational focus, delivering workshops and guidance to schools and working with communities for early intervention.
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RASASH recently took part in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, calling for the elimination of violence against women and girls from society.
"I met with the team at RASASH to speak about the incredible work they do to campaign against sexual violence," Ms Roddick said.
"RASASH supported me years ago in the wake of my own sexual assault and now I am keen to make sure I am supporting them as a local MSP and doing my part to end this violence in Scotland altogether.
"To have a kind, honest, experienced voice on the other side of the phone completely rescued me and found clarity in the mess of my thoughts at the time.
"From that to the wee items they provide to get people through sitting in court, what they do for survivors is incredibly powerful.
"While it is important to use the 16 Days of Activism to take time to think about what action we can take to make a change, we know that women and girls are fighting against misogyny every day of every year.
"Whether or not it is something you have been through yourself, we all have stories and know people who have been victims of gender-based violence.
"We can eradicate gender-based violence in Scotland, but we all need to work together for this to happen."
Ms Roddick said lots of people had opinions when someone was sexually assaulted or raped.
"They know exactly what you should do, should say, how you should act, and they can often get hostile when your reality doesn’t fit with their idea," she said.
"Not everyone goes to the police, not all those who do go immediately, and not all who go immediately see justice. "There is no right way to react to this kind of violence, and sometimes having someone who actually understands and listens to how you feel, rather than telling you what you feel, can make things seem so much clearer.
"I urge fellow survivors who are struggling to reach out to someone who really gets it and not feel pressured by those who don’t."
Go to www.rasash.org.uk for more information.
