Report finds evidence of Police Scotland misogyny | UK News

A report has found evidence of sexism, misogyny and violence against women within Police Scotland at both institutional and individual level.

The findings came from the Independent Review Group which was tasked with looking into equality within the force.

Its final report was published last year but a separate deep dive review has come to light after a freedom of information request from policy group Murray Blackburn Mackenzie (MBM).

Police Scotland said it was taking action to deliver meaningful cultural change in the service, including to tackle sexism and misogyny.

According to the report, the force has been described as having a ‘toxic’ culture” resembling “a boys’ club” where inappropriate behaviour by senior male officers is commonplace.

The findings highlight a pattern of “inappropriate jokes and comments” that frequently target younger female officers, often coming from more senior male colleagues.

The report notes an “implicit understanding” that women who raise concerns risk professional retaliation, including stalled promotions.

It found this environment had led many female officers to second-guess their appearance—such as their clothing, make-up, or hairstyle—for fear of “provoking” sexist remarks.

It said language that blames victims, along with a tendency to protect male colleagues accused of misconduct, contributed to a broader culture of collusion.

The report added that senior officers were often unwilling—or even complicit—in addressing sexist or misogynistic behaviour. Some senior male officers were described as engaging in “predatory” relationships with junior female staff.

Additionally, the report described how junior male officers would sometimes ignore directives from senior female officers, opting instead to seek confirmation from higher-ranking male colleagues.

A number of women have previously spoken out about experiencing misogyny while employed at Police Scotland, including a former assistant chief constable.

ACC Angela Wilson said the findings of this latest report “don’t surprise” her.

Last year, former police Scotland officer Gemma MacRae, who was sexually assaulted and complained about bullying and misogyny at a Moray station accepted a payout of £431,968 from Police Scotland.

And former firearms officer Rhona Malone, won almost £1m in compensation from the force after an employment tribunal found she had been victimised when she raised concerns about sexism.

Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said Police Scotland was taking action to deliver “meaningful cultural change”.

“As part of this work, an Independent Review Group undertook a review of Police Scotland and, last August, we published the IRG’s closure report, which provided an overview of their deep dive into sexism and misogyny,” she said.

“There is no quick fix to changing deeply ingrained, socially accepted behaviours.”

A spokesperson from the Scottish Police Authority said: “There is absolutely no place for sexism or any form of discrimination in policing.

“The Scottish Police Authority is committed to supporting and holding Police Scotland to account in building a service that is inclusive, respectful, and free from bias.”

Dr Kath Murray at MBM said: “As it stands, it appears that either Police Scotland did not share the report with the SPA, or if it did, the authority agreed not to publish or table the report for discussion.

“Either way, the handling of these shocking findings raises serious concerns about transparency and the oversight of Scottish policing.”