Question reference: S6W-14204
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 20 January 2023
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Current status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 February 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help prevent spiking incidents at universities and colleges.
Answer
We expect universities and colleges to be places where students and staff are free from all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including spiking.
Universities and colleges are autonomous bodies. However, they have a responsibility for the welfare and safety of their students and it is for each institution to determine procedures to keep students safe from spiking.
The Scottish Government held several roundtable meetings to bring together partners including representatives from colleges and universities to discuss the prevalence of spiking and a range of initiatives and information available on spiking for students.
Representatives from College Development Network, Universities Scotland, NUS Scotland and The Student Services Organisation (AMOSSHE) were involved in these roundtable discussions. Significant collaborative work through the roundtable format was undertaken to raise awareness and heighten vigilance in the run up to the return to college and university campuses.
The Scottish Government currently funds the Emily Test charity to develop the Emily Test Charter and the accompanying LISTEN Risk Assessment Tool. The Charter provides a framework to help institutions start or improve their work in tackling GBV, and we would encourage all institutions to engage with it.
We will continue to work closely with the university and college sectors, and their representatives, through the Equally Safe in Colleges and Universities Core Leadership Group, as part of our approach to tackling all forms of GBV.