Chamber and committees

I thank my colleague Fulton MacGregor for once again bravely bringing to the chamber a subject that is profoundly painful but critically important to address: in this case, the trauma and family turmoil caused by sibling sexual abuse. I also thank the cross-party group on adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse for its determined work on the subject and for the comprehensive paper that the motion highlights.

Sibling sexual abuse is a form of family-based trauma that, as we have heard, often goes unspoken. The complexity and devastation that it causes ripples through the affected family, leaving behind emotional scars that can, and do, last a lifetime. We know that sexual abuse by a sibling is often underreported and often misunderstood. When we think of sexual abuse, we might instinctively think of strangers or adults, but the reality is that sexual abuse can occur in the home and between siblings, and sibling sexual abuse is estimated to occur at double the rate of abuse by adults.

Many survivors find it difficult to speak about the topic because of the deep feelings of shame, guilt and confusion that often accompany such experiences. One of the most difficult aspects of sibling sexual abuse is the loss of trust that it represents. Families are meant to be the sanctuary where we feel safe and protected. When abuse occurs between siblings, it shatters that sense of security.

Every family member will be affected in some way. The child who is abused will feel violated, and the child who abuses might be grappling with their own trauma, confusion and hurt. Too often, those complexities remain hidden, leaving no room for healing and recovery. As we heard, there are often other issues at play within the family.

The trauma resulting from sibling sexual abuse is not limited to the victim alone—family members including parents, and even extended family members, will experience confusion, anger, guilt and isolation. Parents in particular are often left wondering how they could have missed the signs or prevented the abuse from occurring, and they will naturally feel torn between their responsibilities to both children—I think that we can all imagine just how horrific that would be. The emotional weight can be unbearable and lead to rifts in the family, misunderstanding and a breakdown in communication. Many families struggle to know how to move forward and will become fractured.

There are also profound emotional consequences for the survivors. Mental health services in Scotland are increasingly recognising the need for specialist support for those who are affected by sexual abuse, but those services are not universally available, and they are often stretched very thin. Survivors of abuse might experience depression, anxiety and PTSD. They might have difficulty forming healthy relationships later in life or struggle with issues relating to their self-esteem or their sense of identity, and they might even turn to substances in order to cope. I have seen that through my work with survivors in Women’s Aid and homelessness services. Support must be all-encompassing—we can have no silos in this area.

As the CPG’s report states, there is so much that we need to do in this area, including creating spaces where survivors feel safe to speak out and where they are believed and their experiences are not minimised or trivialised.

Silence surrounding sibling sexual abuse only perpetuates the trauma and allows it to continue. We need to break the stigma and raise awareness in our communities, and we must ensure that all children in the family have access to appropriate therapeutic support. Sibling sexual abuse, like all forms of sexual violence, requires a multifaceted response that includes not only child and family services but mental health care, social support and family therapy.

Education is also key. We must teach children from a young age about boundaries, consent and healthy relationships. I used to do such work by going into schools and speaking about what a healthy relationship is in the context of domestic abuse. We need to create an environment in which young people can feel empowered to speak up if they are hurt, and in which parents and guardians know the signs of abuse and are quick to respond. We must also ensure that all our safeguarding professionals, be they teachers, police or registered childminders—everybody who comes into contact with children and has those duties—are trained to respond to disclosures and have the support to do so.

In addition, there is much that we need to do on research into sibling sexual abuse. We need to better understand its prevalence, its long-term effects and what type of interventions are most effective. By conducting more research and gathering the necessary data, we can better develop policies and resources for supporting both the victims and the families who are affected by that traumatic experience. We owe that to all of them.

I am thankful that this very important issue has been raised in the chamber, as it affects many of my constituents. As we have heard, NFU Scotland has said that it will be devastating to the vast majority of farms and crofts. What engagement has the minister had with the NFUS and farming stakeholders in the light of the very disappointing UK budget? Can you outline the support that is available to the sector in Scotland to ensure its viability for the years to come?

Good morning. Before I ask a few questions, I declare an interest, as I am a member of the Humanist Society of Scotland and a member of the Parliament’s cross-party group on end-of-life choices.

Professor White, you have spent a lot of your career researching voluntary assisted dying, and you are here today to speak to us in that capacity. Can you give us your views on the Scottish bill as drafted? What has it got right, and where could it be improved?

You mentioned your concerns about discrimination based on disability, which is why there are slightly different administration routes in Australia. Can you speak to that aspect, please?

Thank you for that. I see that Julian Gardner would like to come in.

I have no interests to declare at this point.

That is very helpful. You have both answered a couple of my other questions, but I have a final question on safeguarding. If we get to the amending stage with the bill, is there anything that you would caution us about putting in place? We have already mentioned the timeframes, the so-called gagging clause and so on, but is there anything that you would advise the committee to think about if we get to that stage?

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not refresh. I would have voted yes.

The proposed amendment to the bill will help to provide the clarity that is required for us to implement a sustainable rent control system for Scotland, and will balance vital protections for tenants with the need for investment in our housing supply. We certainly need to build, build, build.

Can the minister set out in more detail the steps that the Government is taking to ensure that there is confidence among investors, while also—crucially—protecting tenants by preventing homelessness? In addition, has he given consideration to testing or piloting the new prevention duties ahead of their full roll-out, in order to ensure their effectiveness?

Disabled people’s organisations including Disability Equality Scotland, the Glasgow Disability Alliance and Inclusion Scotland have been in contact with evidence that underlines how disabled people have been disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis across the United Kingdom. Will the minister speak to the existing support that households in Scotland are able to access this winter? Will she outline what further work is being done alongside the DPOs to ensure that disabled people are not left behind in the Scottish Government’s mission to end poverty in Scotland, in light of the disabled people demand justice campaign?

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it has been undertaking with disabled people’s organisations regarding the delivery of its disability equality plan. (S6O-03873)