Amy Johnson, Zero Tolerance, said the restrictions in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 and the lack of clarity around what is “justifiable” makes it “difficult for children to understand what is okay”, adding—
The idea that some forms of assault, especially of the most vulnerable people, are justifiable, and that pain can be inflicted as a form of behaviour management, sends a confusing message and sits in opposition to a lot of other messages about combating violence against women in society through the equally safe approach, for example.Official Report, 7 March, col. 25
Rape Crisis agreed that Equally Safe, with its key messages of consent, respect, and a right to bodily autonomy, is undermined by—
Having a legal framework which states that young people, who are inherently more vulnerable, have fewer rights and that their physical chastisement [is] state sanctioned and morally justifiable.Rape Crisis, written submission