Scottish Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Rhea Manivannan has apologized after facing widespread criticism for her comments suggesting that rape should be discussed in terms of a “spectrum.”
Her remarks drew condemnation from survivor advocacy groups and political opponents, who argued that such language minimizes the gravity and enduring trauma associated with sexual violence.
The Scottish Coalition for Respect and Accountability (SCRA), representing support organizations across Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, and the Western Isles, emphasized that the effects of rape often persist throughout a person’s life and should never be reduced to abstract discussion.
In an open letter, the coalition clarified: “We are not demonizing rape. We are naming it.”
The letter rejected the notion that rape exists along a spectrum, stating firmly, “There is no hierarchy of rape,” and warned against pressuring survivors to question whether their experiences were severe enough.
Politicians were urged not to normalize rape or sexual violence or to create harmful distinctions between different forms of abuse.
While not directly naming Manivannan, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls Reem Alsalem expressed concern on social media platform X, asserting that rape must never be framed as a matter of degree.
Scotland’s Children’s Minister Siobhan Brown described Manivannan’s comments as “misjudged” during an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday Show.
Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats have voiced strong disapproval, while the Scottish Conservatives have called for the Scottish Greens to suspend Manivannan.
Meghan Gallacher, the Conservative party’s equalities spokesperson, stated: “It is deeply alarming that anyone, let alone an elected official, would attempt to downplay the seriousness of rape and imply that there is a spectrum of such offenses.”
