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Campaign Against Sexual Harassment & Intimate Image Abuse

Following on from #WisToo, The Compass Centre, also known as Shetland Rape Crisis, has curated a digital and print awareness-raising project focused on experiences of sexual harassment and intimate image abuse in Shetland.

Read the Full #SaferShetland Campaign against sexual harassment and intimate image abuse.

To ensure the campaign is informed by realistic concerns in our community, we invited folk to make anonymous submissions reflecting on their experiences of sexual harassment and intimate image abuse in Shetland. Over the four-week submission period we received almost 200 first-hand accounts.

Submissions were gathered with informed consent through an anonymous Google Doc with the opportunity to retract or change submissions up to a week after the closing date. The submissions were then carefully looked through to ensure that anonymity and confidentiality were upheld.

A few quotes were selected to appear as part of the printed poster campaign on buses across the isles, and all submissions are published in this document to respect survivor’s stories and ensure that all voices are heard.

Sexual harassment and intimate image abuse can happen to anyone and are behaviours that form just one part of a wider set of cultural values that enable other forms of sexual violence such as assault, abuse and rape.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is any words or actions of a sexual nature that are not wanted or agreed to. It may include, but is not limited to: cat-calling / wolf-whistling / other street harassment, unwanted comments of a sexual nature, unwelcome sexual advances, and unwelcome comments based on your gender and/or sexuality. Sexual harassment can occur in person, digitally, or even over the phone.

What is Intimate Image Abuse?

Intimate image abuse consists of intimate images (photos, video, and/or audio recordings) of you being shared without your consent, or threats to share these. This may include, but is not limited to: intimate images that are originally sent with consent but then further shared and/or kept without consent, intimate images taken without your knowledge or consent, and threats to create and/or share intimate images if you do not comply with the perpetrator’s wishes. The sharing of intimate images often forms a part of wider abuse and is sometimes known colloquially as “revenge porn.”

Content Warning

The following document contains descriptions of sexual violence (including harassment, assault, abuse, and rape) which have occurred in Shetland.

Some submissions mention specific locations and events in Shetland where contributors to the campaign say these things were done to them. These accounts may be challenging to read and at times may feel confronting.

The integrity of contributor’s own words has been maintained as far as possible and the contents within this document reflect the submissions received only.

At The Compass Centre, we recognise that sexual violence and harm happens in all places and contexts, and that tackling it takes a collective response. We hope that Shetlanders’ brave submissions to this campaign will contribute to the wider community continuing to work together towards a making our islands a safer place to live, work and socialise for all.

If you have been affected by this and need help, please contact:

Compass Centre | Monday-Thursday 9am-1:30pm Tel 01595 747 174 | Email: contact@compasscentre.org

Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline | 6pm – Midnight Daily Tel 0800 01 02 03 | Email: support@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk

Childline | 9am-Midnight Daily Tel 0800 1111

Revenge Porn Helpline | Monday-Friday 10am-4pm Tel 0345 6000 459 | Email: help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk

Read the Full #SaferShetland Campaign against sexual harassment and intimate image abuse.

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