Police Scotland renews 'That Guy' campaign after 20% increase in rapes

The increase in reported rapes are "just the tip of the iceberg" according to one of Police Scotland's top officers - as the force calls for men to speak up about inappropriate behaviour.

The renewed 'That Guy' campaign is launching today, calling on 18-35 year olds to challenge young men to take responsibility for male violence and have honest conversations with each other.

Officers want to educate men on the links between overt male sexual entitlement and serious sexual offending, with a view to reducing rape.

This includes establishing a direct link between low-level harassment and serious sexual offending.

1,400 reported rapes

Between 1 April 2024 and end of September 2024, 1,400 rapes were reported to Police Scotland - an increase of 19.5 per cent on the same period in 2023-24.

Most offences (850) had occurred within the last 12 months. The remainder occurred more than 12 months ago.

Nearly 7,600 sexual crimes were reported in total, an increase of 3.2 per cent on the same period in 2023-24. Of those, nearly one quarter were reports of non-recent offences (1,829).

'Tip of the iceberg'

Assistant Chief Constable, Steve Johnson, leads Police Scotland on lead for major crime and public protection.

He told Clyde 1: "If we're being absolutely open and candid - we know that serious sexual violence and rape is massively underreported to us.

"So when we report this near 20% increase in rapes, we know that is just the tip of the iceberg.

"If all we do is wait to challenge the most serious things, then we're missing the point completely.

"This is about the small comments people make, the constant looking at someone, objectifying people out in public. It's unwanted, it's unnecessary.

"Be 'that guy' who challenges this behaviour, rather than 'that guy' who just laughs along.

"It doesn't have to be a grand gesture - it can be a quiet word to tell someone what they're doing isn't appropriate.

"Hopefully we start to move towards a society where women are free and safe to live their lives - that's a basic and fundamental human right.

"It's a right I want for my daughter, for my mother.

"I think that is a long way off, given where society is, but I think it starts with one person being 'that guy'."

'We need men to play their part'

The renewed campaign is being welcomed by campaigners seeking an end to sexual violence.

Ellie Wilson, 26, was raped by her then-boyfriend Daniel McFarlane between 2017 and 2018 while both of them were students at Glasgow University.

He went on trial in 2022 and was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow.

McFarlane, from Inverness, was found guilty of two rape charges and attempting to defeat the ends of justice and sentenced to five years in prison.

She told Clyde 1 the campaign marks a step away from a culture of victim-blaming.

"Far too many women and girls are experiencing sexual violence in Scotland, and around the world.

"It's 2024 and we're still talking about this epidemic of violence against women and girls, and it's not good enough.

"The 'That Guy' campaign has been pretty revolutionary in putting the responsibility onto men, because if you look at awareness-raising campaigns in the past, they have been focussed on the behaviour of the victim - not the perpetrator.

"For too long, the responsibility of tackling sexual violence has been placed on women. We've been told 'don't wear this', 'don't go out late, 'don't get drunk.'

"This campaign shifts that responsibility onto men, who need to be checking their mates and saying this sort of behaviour isn't acceptable.

"We can't tackle the problem alone, we need men to play their part."

In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support for rape and sexual abuse on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland.

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