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Survivor groups and political figures have strongly condemned recent comments that many believe minimize the gravity and enduring impact of rape. The Scottish Coalition of Rape and Sexual Abuse Services (SCRA), which includes organizations from Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, and the Western Isles, emphasized that the trauma resulting from rape is lifelong and should never be dismissed as a mere theoretical issue.
In an open letter, the alliance clarified their position by stating, “We are not demonising rape. We are naming it.” They firmly rejected the notion that rape exists on a “spectrum,” asserting that “there is no hierarchy of rape” and that no survivor should feel forced to question whether their experience was sufficiently serious. Their letter also called on politicians to avoid normalizing sexual violence or establishing hierarchies based on perceived degrees of harm.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, echoed this sentiment on social media, emphasizing that rape should never be discussed as if it exists on a spectrum. Meanwhile, Scotland’s Children’s Minister Siobhan Brown described the controversial remarks from MSP Ranjana Manivannan as misjudged during an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday Show. Political parties including Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats voiced criticism, while the Scottish Conservatives urged the Scottish Greens to suspend Manivannan from her position. Meghan Gallacher, the Equalities Spokeswoman for the Conservatives, said, “It is deeply alarming that anyone, but especially an elected representative, would ever seek to minimise the seriousness of rape and suggest that there is a spectrum of offences.”
Responding to the backlash in a statement issued on Monday afternoon, Manivannan expressed being “horrified” that their comments had been “selectively edited in order to mislead people and misrepresent me.” The MSP insisted that during the full interview, they made it clear that all rape cases, regardless of context, are equally serious and harmful—remarks that were omitted from the clips widely shared. Manivannan acknowledged that the excerpted comments had caused considerable distress and offered an apology, reaffirming their commitment to supporting victims and survivors. They also revealed that they are personally a survivor of sexual violence and understand its lasting effects. “I would never seek to diminish or dismiss any survivor’s experience, or to make anyone feel that their pain was not heard or understood,” Manivannan stated, expressing sincere regret for any hurt caused by the conversation and its coverage
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