Unauthorised JIMS Talk at Abertay University Prompts Investigation

On 28 October, Marsha Sturgeon — who also goes by the name Marzena Paszkowska — a speaker from the group Justice for Innocent Men Scotland (JIMS) was invited by Dr Stuart Waiton to give a talk to students at Abertay University. Dr Waiton is a Sociology and Criminology lecturer at the University who publicly gave a speech at a protest held by JIMS last month. 

JIMS has faced allegations of harassing victims of sexual assault and rape, publishing victims’ identities, personal details, and medical records, as well as members of the group attending trials to intimidate witnesses. They have been branded a “rapists' rights group” in online discourse. Sturgeon has also come under criticism for comments she has made on social media. In one instance, she stated that she didn’t “get the victim vibe at all” in reference to two women who were sexually assaulted. Another comment read, “[It] makes me sick, riding the wave of [the #MeToo] bs and posing for pictures.” 

JIMS adamantly deny this. A spokesperson from the organization told The Saint: “JIMS has never published any personal or medical details of any complainants. Claims to the contrary are false, amplified by deliberate smear campaigns and misrepresentation by various TikTok influencers. We are currently running a ‘Provide Proof of Harassment by JIMS’ campaign and are still awaiting any evidence. As an organisation, we cannot take responsibility for individuals’ personal disputes, and we do not get involved in any individual case.”

The appearance of JIMS at the University of Abertay has sparked online outrage. Many comments allege that Dr Stuart Waiton has been the subject of complaints for many years now. Sasha Särkäs-Bosman is one of the many who have commented on social media to express their disappointment with the institution for allowing the JIMS talk. 

Särkäs-Bosman, whose brother attends Abertay,  told The Saint, “to see the uni my brother picked because of their ‘progressive’ attitude and that the courses are said to be of such a high standard [...] yet again try to brush Mr Waiton’s actions under the rug when I can see from comments […] that he has over ten years of complaints that the Uni has been complacent in hiding and covering up to the point [that] he actually laughs about it in his lectures is beyond disgusting.” 

This backlash has also come in the form of graffiti. A wall at Dundee High School has been graffitied calling Dr Waiton a “rapist sympathiser.” Abertay University has confirmed that they have also found graffiti on campus.

Dr Waiton responded to this criticism in a recent article in The Courier. Dr Waiton said that he has received emails and calls demanding his termination and added that he is aware of the “unpleasant comments” that JIMS members have made online. ‘

Ultimately, Dr Waiton defended his decision, telling The Courier that “the group impressively talk in general about the problems in the criminal justice system, where ‘rape shield’ legislation is seen to be preventing fair trials. They are not alone in thinking this, and it is a tragedy that no one in the media is using this opportunity to investigate their concerns.”

According to the JIMS spokesperson, Sturgeon talked to the students about “the urgent need [for] reforms in the Scottish justice system and explained the purpose and work of JIMS.” They added that Sturgeon “highlighted systemic issues currently present in sexual offence trials, such as the stretching of the Moorov Doctrine, misuse of the Sections 274 and 275, or the 2024 changes to corroboration law.”

“To make it absolutely clear, JIMS fully supports the original intent of the rape shield laws, but we strongly oppose their current application. Its misuse has been repeatedly criticised by senior legal professionals, as reported in The Herald,” added the spokesperson.

When asked about the student reception, they said: “The students in attendance received our presentation positively. The criticism has come entirely from individuals who were not present, refused to engage with the discussion, and accepted false narratives circulated online. The experiences and trauma of those we support are factual and must not be dismissed or misrepresented.”

Abertay’s Principal Professor Liz Bacon released a statement to address the controversy on 30 October: “It is important for me to be clear from the outset that the views expressed by JIMS do not reflect those of Abertay University and that this speaker was not approved by senior management. We are reviewing our external speaker approval processes as a result.” She added that an investigation has already begun into the issues raised.

A spokesperson from the University of Abertay told The Saint: “We have been in contact with all students and staff to offer support to those who may require it. Separately, we have also been in touch directly with students who attended the class where the speaker session took place to ensure they are aware of the support available to them, including offers of individual counselling or a facilitated group space to explore any concerns or emotional responses.”

More information on the issues raised in this article can be accessed via Rape Crisis Scotland on their website https://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/help-helpline/ or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 08088 01 03 02. Advice and support on reporting sexual assault from the University can be found by visiting https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/sexual-misconduct/.

Image by Wikimedia Commons