Nicola Sturgeon has reacted with disappointment to a survey that found that one in five Holyrood staff and one in three women had experienced sexual harassment or sexist behaviour while working in the Scottish parliament.

Of those who reported experience of sexual harassment at Holyrood, 45% identified the perpetrator as an MSP.

The confidential survey, which was completed by more than 1,000 women and men, including MSPs, their employees and Scottish parliamentary staff, was prompted by the revelations of historic sexual harassment and assault that rocked Westminster, Holyrood and the Welsh assembly last November.

It mirrors a cross-party Commons report last month that found one in five people working at Westminster had experienced or witnessed sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour in the past year.

Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said she was shocked, saddened and disappointed by the survey results. “It is clear that women and men – but mainly women – have put up with behaviour that is unacceptable. No one should be subject[ed] to harassment or sexist behaviour of any kind in their work or personal life, and our national parliament should set a positive example as a place of work with the highest standards of behaviour.”

While the majority of Holyrood respondents had never experienced sexual harassment or sexism, a fifth had encountered such behaviour. The most common complaints included sexist remarks and “looks, leers, comments or gestures of a sexual nature”.

When broken down by gender, 30% of women and 6% of men reported experiencing this behaviour in some form, while those responsible were found to be “predominantly male and tended to be in a position of authority over those experiencing it”.

A total of 5% reported unwanted physical contact, including “invasion of personal space”, hugging, kissing and groping.

While knowledge of reporting procedures was shown to be high, only 5% said they had officially reported the behaviour they experienced.

Scottish Labour’s Kezia Dugdale, one of only two female members of the six-strong Scottish parliamentary corporate body (the group of MSPs overseeing the running of Holyrood), said the results were unsurprising.

Dugdale said: “The key question now is how we tackle the issues it has uncovered. The joint working group [set up to consider the findings] has already begun this task.



“While it’s incredibly important we support those who have experienced this behaviour and ensure perpetrators are held accountable, our overarching aim must be to create a culture which prevents sexual harassment and sexist behaviour from happening in the first place.

“That is our challenge and it will require the combined efforts of the parliament, the political parties and all those who work here to achieve it.”