Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what data collection it is undertaking in relation to violence within consensual sexual activity, including on the prevalence of choking.
As outlined in the answer to question S6W-15943 on 21 March 2023, the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) includes a module on sexual victimisation, which produces estimates of adults’ experiences of different types of sexual assault. At present this does not include any questions focused on specific acts of violence such as choking, during what began as consensual sexual activity. We are currently considering whether a question (or questions) on this topic could be added to the above module. Given the sensitivity of this subject, it requires careful consideration and testing prior to any rollout to ensure that such a question is understandable, accessible, and does not place undue stress on survey respondents. Analysts have recently conducted multiple evidence-gathering workshops with external organisations and charities dedicated to researching and preventing sexual violence. We will continue to engage with stakeholders as we consider options for changes to the 2025-26 survey sweep. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .