You don't usually hear law enforcement describe a social issue as a national emergency. Yet, that is exactly how Police Scotland has labeled the rising tide of violence against women and girls.
The force's latest rollout of the "That Guy" campaign hits screens with a very specific target audience. It's not aimed at victims, and it doesn't offer standard self-defense advice. Instead, it speaks directly to men, pushing them to look inward at everyday attitudes, peer pressure, and the rising influence of online manosphere content.
Statistics released alongside the initiative reveal why authorities are sounding alarms. In the first quarter of the 2026-27 financial year, nearly 20,000 offenses related to violence against women and girls were recorded across Scotland. Close to half of those cases involved domestic incidents, while roughly 40 per cent featured repeat offenders. Even more troubling, recorded crimes of rape jumped by 10.8%, and attempted rapes climbed by 14.3% over the same period.
These aren't just abstract figures. They represent a deep cultural fracture that posters and leaflets alone can't fix.
Changing the Conversation Among Mates
Most men don't wake up planning to commit a crime. They don't look in the mirror and see a predator. That is the exact blind spot Police Scotland is trying to dismantle.
The campaign focuses heavily on early intervention and peer accountability. It's easy to dismiss inappropriate comments as "just banter" or look away when a friend crosses a line. But the core argument of the initiative is that silence acts as permission.
Having a quiet, honest word with a mate before a situation escalates isn't about public shaming. It's about everyday responsibility. If you notice a friend pushing boundaries or dismissing consent, speaking up right then and there can stop an offense before it ever happens.
Pushing Back Against Online Influence
Modern peer pressure doesn't just happen down at the local pub. It lives on smartphones, looping through algorithms that feed young men toxic messaging about power, relationships, and dominance.
The renewed "That Guy" drive specifically tackles the rising shadow of social media influencers who market misogyny to young men aged 18 to 35. These digital spaces often normalize a culture that demeans and minimizes women, framing respect as weakness.
Police Scotland's strategy asks men to be positive role models instead. It's about reclaiming influence and using it to shut down harmful narratives online and offline.
What This Means for Everyday Accountability
Shifting cultural norms requires more than government ads. It takes uncomfortable conversations over coffee, at work, and in locker rooms.
If you want to make a real difference, start close to home. Listen to how your friends talk about women when no one else is around. Refuse to laugh along with sexist jokes. Call out behavior that crosses the line before it hardens into something worse.
Real safety doesn't come from reactive policing. It starts long before that, with the choices men make when they think nobody is watching.
