Leah McCabe – ECR Spotlight

In our ECR Spotlight Series for 2023, Dr. Leah McCabe writes that although Scotland is often talked of as a “feminist policy success story,” it offers an interesting case to uncover how, where and why pockets of resistance to feminist policy-making have simultaneously arisen. She calls this “whataboutery” and traces its force in anti-gender resistance within domestic abuse policy-making.

Resisting and contesting feminist policy frames: domestic abuse policymaking in Scotland

By Dr. Leah McCabe

Post-devolution Scotland is often hailed as a pioneer for feminist policymaking, with devolution presenting lucrative opportunities for feminists to re-gender new political institutions and shape the direction of policymaking. In particular, Scotland’s policy and legislative approaches to domestic abuse has earned global recognition due to its unique and distinct gendered and feminist constructions – which can be attributed to successful feminist mobilisation (Mackay, 2010). Specifically, since 2000, Scotland has framed domestic abuse as a cause and consequence of gender inequality and a violation of human rights.  This might lead one to consider Scotland a “feminist policy success story”. However, upon closer scrutiny, it becomes clear that the situation is more complex than it first seems. Significantly, gendered policy frames have been open to contention, facing persistent resistance since their adoption. This has consequently undermined progress and rendered gains ‘fragile’ (Mackay, 2010; McCabe, 2021). It is important to recognise that opposition to gendered ideas is not confined to Scotland; rather, it forms a part of the broader trend of anti-gender resistance spreading across Europe, leading to patterns of equality backsliding, especially in countries like Poland and Hungary (see Verloo, 2018; Krizsán and Roggeband, 2019).

My PhD sought to tease out this intricate balance between feminist policy gains and anti-gender resistance. It traced domestic abuse policy framings in post-devolution Scotland (1998-2018), highlighting key debates and disputes in constructing the policy ‘problem’. I used a multi-method policy-tracing approach, namely a Critical Frame Analysis of policy and legislative documents and semi-structured elite interviews (women’s organisation actors, civil servants, politicians, academics, practitioners). I started my research with prior awareness of the challenges and opposition feminists faced in advancing domestic abuse policymaking and service provision. This knowledge stemmed from a research placement with Scottish Women’s Aid (the national domestic abuse organisation) as part of my MSc Gender Studies at the University of Stirling. However, my PhD project provided an opportunity to elaborate on the particularities of resistance, uncovering how, where and why pockets of resistance have arisen within Scotland.

A particularly interesting finding was the way in which certain actors have drawn upon “whataboutery” to resist any engagement with feminist ideas. This largely operates in the form of the question: “what about the men?” This tactic is based on the idea of equivalence, which overlooks the gendered dynamics of violence and fails to recognise the differential experiences, risk, and severity of violence between men and women (McFeely et al., 2013). My interviewees pointed out that this question is usually not motivated by a genuine concern for equality or the acknowledgement of men’s lived experiences of abuse (which are indeed important). Instead, its purpose is to derail the conversation and suppress the debate. Specifically, it redirects attention from policies that address structural inequalities that disproportionately affect women and girls. In fact, other scholars and activists have linked the tactic of whataboutery to misogyny (Eaton, 2018). At the same time, anti- or non-feminist actors have proposed gender neutral frames while suggesting that domestic abuse is an individual issue rather than a systemic or structural one, something fiercely challenged by feminists.

Unfortunately, anti-gender resistance has been an enduring feature within Scottish domestic abuse policymaking, with feminist actors likening it to a never-ending, circular, and arduous dispute. Crucially, my respondents identified opposition within certain local authorities and public sector agencies that are responsible for implementing policy into practice (e.g. housing, health, and criminal justice), thereby potentially hindering progress. Hearing about resistance within the health sector was particularly concerning, given its vital role in addressing domestic abuse. As a universal service, women and children – including victims/survivors – will likely access healthcare at some point in their lives. Hence, healthcare providers are in a key position to identify signs of abuse, encourage disclosures, and offer support. However, they can only do this effectively if they have a strong understanding of the nature of domestic abuse. Moreover, anti-gender backlash, particularly in the form of whataboutery, has permeated Scottish parliamentary debates, albeit with only a small handful of parliamentarians sharing these perspectives. Nevertheless, these open challenges may serve to undermine and delegitimise existing gendered frames, posing tangible future threats.

This brief insight into my PhD findings underscores the necessity of interrogating supposed success stories to uncover points of tension which may lie under the surface. Given the European and international trajectories of anti-gender campaigns, it is essential to grasp how this opposition manifests and functions across various cases and contexts. This knowledge will hopefully empower feminists to effectively address and counteract resistance, all while fostering greater solidarity.

References

Eaton, J. (2018) Stop asking me ‘what about men?’, Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 2(2): 391-395. Doi: 10.1332/239868018X15263880585932

Krizsán, A. and Roggeband, C (2019) (eds) Gendering Democratic Backsliding in Central and Eastern Europe: A Comparative Agenda, Budapest: Central European University Press

Mackay, F. (2010) Gendering Constitutional Change and Policy Outcomes: Substantive Representation and Domestic Violence Policy in Scotland, Policy & Politics, 38(3): 369–388, doi: 10.1332/030557310X521062

McCabe, L. (2021) Change, Continuity, and Contestations: Framing Domestic Abuse Policy in Scotland Since 1998, PhD research, University of Edinburgh

McFeely, C., Whiting, N., Lombard, N., Brooks, O., Burman, M., and McGowan, M. (2013) Domestic Abuse and Gender Inequality: An overview of the current debate, CRFR Research Briefing 69, Edinburgh: Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, University of Edinburgh.

Verloo, M. (2018) (ed.) Varieties of Opposition to Gender Equality in Europe, New York: Routledge

Author Bio

Dr Leah McCabe is a Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow in Politics and International Relations at the University of Edinburgh. Leah is currently undertaking a 3-year project on abortion politics in the UK. The project responds to academic and political urgency to comprehend and respond to the rise in anti-abortion activism. It aims to uncover the connections between pro-life resistance to abortion and contestations within reproductive rights movements, and their shared implications for policy change and women’s rights. Leah graduated with a PhD in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh in 2021, with her thesis ‘Change, Continuity, and Contestations: Framing Domestic Abuse Policy in Scotland Since 1998’. Leah’s research interests including framing politics, contentious politics, intersectionality, gender politics, social movements, and feminist institutionalism. Leah uses the pronouns she/her. You can reach Leah at: Leah.McCabe@ed.ac.uk