Men urged to call their friends out for sexist behaviour in new campaign

A new campaign aimed at encouraging men to hold their friends accountable when they display poor behaviour towards women has been launched by Police Scotland.

It comes after the force asked men to challenge their own attitudes and behaviour towards women in its award-winning “That Guy” campaign in 2021.

Now, a follow-up initiative sees four high-profile figures, described as “influencers”, discussing what they can do to address their other friends’ “problematic” attitudes.

The group includes writer and presenter Alistair Heather, podcaster Sean McDonald, Edinburgh rugby coach and former All Black player Ben Atiga, and footballer and teacher Danny Denholm.

A video released by Police Scotland on Sunday (16 October) shows the men sitting in a pub and talking about how they can call out sexist or misogynistic behaviour.

They suggest approaching a friend who has behaved badly in a private manner, “because we know shaming doesn’t work”.

Heather says in the video: “For me personally, if someone was to come to me in front of all my pals and say your behaviour was creepy, that behaviour was misogynistic, in front of all the boys, I would feel mortified and defensive.

“Rather than doing it in front of the rest of the group, maybe bring them in and say listen, that behaviour there wasn’t great.

“They’d maybe be more willing to listen to it. I’d be more willing to listen to it. So I think it’s the way we go about it.”

Deputy chief constable Malcolm Graham said: “Last year’s campaign asked men to reflect on their own behaviours and attitudes – and those of their friends, family and colleagues – towards women, to prevent rape, sexual assault and harassment.

“We held up the mirror to harassing and abusive behaviours that impact on women. Now we are focusing on a solution.”

The “That Guy” campaign came after a slew of deadly attacks on women in the last two years, including 33-year-old Sarah Everard and sisters Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27.

Everard was kidnapped, raped and killed by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens as she was walking home in south London last March.

In June 2020, Henry and Smallman were found stabbed to death in a park in north-west London, where they had been celebrating the elder sister’s birthday.

The deaths of multiple women sparked conversation around male violence against women. Police Scotland’s campaign was widely praised by activists for holding men accountable for their actions.

Graham continued: “Our new campaign is about what men can do. It asks them to think about the impact their friend’s behaviour has on women, and to step in, to be that friend. Be the mate who takes a friend aside, and has that quiet word. It’s about stopping a friend doing something they will regret.

“Of course not all men go on to offend but all men have a responsibility and a role to play in ending sexual violence against women and girls.

“This isn’t about shaming. We are asking men to be a mate, look out for your friends, to join the conversation and to stop sexual offending before it starts.”