Q Manivannan apologises for comments about rape being 'on a spectrum'

Q Manivannan, the Scottish Parliament’s first non-binary MSP, has apologised over comments describing rape as being “on a spectrum”.

The Scottish Green MSP, who was elected in May, sparked fury and was widely condemned after a clip from The Subjective Space podcast in which Manivannan said that there “definitely is a demonisation of rape” and there are “different modes” of consent. The podcast was recorded last year and has resurfaced on social media.

The clip shows Manivannan saying: “It is a spectrum, none of which is any less, or more, worse, but it is a spectrum of things that constitute that one homogenised word, rape. And I think there’s also different modes of not just consent, but also ideas, also contexts and conditions under which rape is, well, rape.”

The MSP’s comments drew criticism from the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and led to calls for the party whip to be removed.

In a new statement, Manivannan said: “I am horrified that my comments were selectively edited in order to mislead people and misrepresent me, but I also accept that my language was abstract in the first place and for that I take full responsibility and am sorry.”

The Scottish Green MSP said of the interview: “I categorically stated that rape in every context is equally serious and harmful. This section of the interview was maliciously left out of clips — with the rest being misrepresented and widely shared out of context, despite my repeated clarifications. I also made the point that rapists do not fit a single stereotype and that many men are relatives or known to their victims.”

Manivannan added: “I recognise that the words in the clip shared, without the full context of the conversation, have caused considerable upset. For that I apologise. I will always stand with and for victims and survivors.  

“Rape and sexual violence can leave profound pain, fear, hurt and trauma. I know from my experience of surviving sexual violence and speaking about recovery how deeply those experiences can affect people. And this complete mischaracterisation of my words has now returned me to my trauma.  

“I would never seek to diminish or dismiss any survivor’s experience, or to make anyone feel that their pain was not heard or understood.  

“I am genuinely sorry to everyone who has been distressed, hurt or triggered by the clips, and by the discussion and coverage that has followed. Words matter, particularly when speaking about something as deeply personal and painful as sexual violence, and I regret this hurt caused.  

“I would welcome the opportunity to meet with survivor and advocacy groups to listen to their perspectives and have an honest, constructive conversation about how we can work together to make Scotland safer and more compassionate for everyone.”

Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women, said in a social media post that insinuating that acts of rape “could fall on a spectrum, risk undermining the important progress we have made around the globe in criminalising rape”.

Alsalem did not specifically refer to Manivannan in the post but said: “While victims of rape can be of any sex or age, rape continues to be committed on a wide scale against women and girls, and is therefore also a specific form of sex and gender-based violence against them.  

“There is no doubt that allegations of rape should be investigated swiftly and impartially to determine if rape has occurred; and that victims should be provided with access to effective, trauma-informed and victim-centred reporting, assistance and justice mechanisms.  

“However, that most certainly does not turn rape into a spectrum, nor should it ever be spoken of in those terms.”

She added: “Insinuations that acts of rape could fall on a spectrum risk undermining the important progress we have made around the globe in criminalising rape, which – as my mandate has argued – should cover rape against all persons, including marital rape and all acts of penetration of a sexual nature, with the lack of consent at its centre. (which should include a rigorous analysis of the context in which consent may have been given or withheld).”

Scottish Rape Crisis Alliance (SRCA), which represents four Scottish rape centres, criticised Manivannan’s comments in an open letter, saying there is “no hierarchy of rape” and warning not to “minimise” sexual violence.

The alliance has also said it “fundamentally rejects the suggestion that society is demonising rape”.

The SRCA said: “We do not need to exaggerate its seriousness. We do not need to turn perpetrators into mythical monsters.

“But neither should we be afraid to say plainly that rape is horrific, that it causes profound trauma and harm, and that responsibility for that harm belongs with the person who chose to violate another person.”

The Scottish Conservatives have called on the Scottish Greens to suspend the whip from Manivannan immediately.

The party's equalities spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher said: “These remarks from an extremist Scottish Greens MSP were appalling and beyond the pale.

“It is deeply alarming that anyone, but especially an elected representative, would ever seek to minimise the seriousness of rape and suggest that there is a spectrum of offences.

“Q Manivannan’s comments were so unacceptable that I believe Scottish Greens co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay must now remove the whip from them.

“Any failure to do so would send a horrendous message to victims of rape that Q’s comments were in any way appropriate and run the risk of them saying something similar in the Holyrood chamber.

“We are used to extremist MSPs in the Greens making warped comments on a whole range of subjects, but this is a new low. These remarks cannot be brushed under the carpet, and I urge the Scottish Greens to remove the privilege of the whip from Q Manivannan.”

Reform UK has made similar calls, posting on social media: “Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay must suspend the whip from Q Manivannan immediately and investigate these abhorrent comments.”