Scottish Green Party MSP Q Manivannan is facing calls to have the whip removed after suggesting there is a “demonisation of rape” and a “spectrum” of rape in a podcast filmed before they were elected to Holyrood. The remarks have been condemned by Rape Crisis Scotland and opposition politicians, while Manivannan insists they have been misrepresented and taken out of context.
Podcast remarks spark outrage
In footage from The Subjective Space podcast that surfaced online, Manivannan, who identifies as non-binary, discussed rape in the context of rehabilitation. They said: “I think our distaste towards rape is towards rape. It’s towards the idea of and the act of rape, not towards the myth of this monster rapist as we’re born to thinking of it that way. Because there’s definitely a demonisation of rape in the sense of, it is a spectrum… it is a spectrum of things that constitute that one homogenised word, rape.”
In a statement released today by the Scottish Greens, the Edinburgh and Lothians East MSP said the intended point was that “not all rapists fit a stereotype”. But the remarks have been widely condemned, with the party urged to disown them.
Condemnation from campaigners and politicians
Nicola Love of Rape Crisis Scotland said: “If anything, rape is not demonised enough. These comments are deeply irresponsible and reinforce harmful rape myths that organisations like ours have fought hard against for decades. The trauma and seriousness of rape should never be minimised.”
Scottish Labour MP Tracy Gilbert said: “I am absolutely clear that there is no spectrum of rape and know that there is certainly no spectrum of suffering from the survivors of rape. The Scottish Greens MSP should fully retract and apologise for their comments and Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer should make clear that the views shared are not Scottish Green Party policy.”
Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “I was appalled to hear this person minimise the ordeal of millions of women who have suffered at the hands of predatory men. In any other workplace, expressing views like this would probably end up in mandatory training.”
Reform MSP Senga Beresford said: “Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay must suspend the whip from Q Manivannan with immediate effect to investigate these abhorrent comments.”
MSP defends comments
In a statement, Indian-born Manivannan, who is currently in Scotland on a student visa, said: “This clip has been clearly misrepresented and taken out of context from a much longer interview. As a survivor of sexual violence, who has spoken openly about my recovery, I am clear that we need to focus on reducing the likelihood of perpetrators of rape reoffending.”
The MSP added: “When talking about a spectrum I was making the point that laws often take a narrow definition of what rape and sexual violence is, which often allows it to continue without consequence. A full viewing of the interview clarifies this. Any suggestion that my statements minimise or excuse rape or sexual assault are deeply false and misleading.”
