Next steps to address violence against women and girls, including
measures to combat culturally specific forms of violence, have
been unveiled.
The latest Equally Safe Delivery Plan – developed in partnership
with COSLA – focuses on prevention of abuse across Scotland's
diverse communities. For the first time, this includes taking
forward a specific approach to tackle honour-based abuse.
Recognising the higher risk of abuse that women and girls with
learning disabilities face, it will also ensure that relevant
educational settings are equipped to teach pupils about healthy
relationships and improve access to support services.
Equalities Minister said:
“Violence against women and girls is abhorrent and has no place
in modern Scotland. Since 2021, frontline projects backed by our
Delivering Equally Safe Fund have supported nearly 60,000 adults,
children and young people, and we are determined to build on that
progress.
“This plan sets out our sustained focus on prevention, improving
support services and ensuring the justice response is robust.
“Gendered abuse can happen in any community and to ensure that it
is tackled effectively and equitably for all women, we are
strengthening our response to the diverse ways that violence and
abuse can occur.
“That includes recognising that abusers could be extended family
members rather than partners - like in some cases of honour-based
violence - and ensuring tailored support is provided for
vulnerable groups, including women with learning disabilities and
migrants.”
COSLA 's Community Wellbeing Spokesperson Councillor Maureen
Chalmers said:
“This Delivery Plan is a road map underpinning the next phase of
COSLA's and the Scottish Government's shared journey towards an
Equally Safe Scotland for women and girls.
“We will work collaboratively over the next two years with key
specialist and public sector partners, to achieve the delivery of
these commitments through our collective energies. No one
government, sector or service can prevent and tackle violence
against women and girls alone.”
The plan was launched with a visit from Ms Stewart and Ms
Chalmers to Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre. Director of the
centre, Claudia Macdonald-Bruce said:
“Every day, we see the impact that an experience of rape and
sexual abuse has on women and girls. It is life-changing,
life-altering and sometimes life-ending. No women or girl
should have to wait for our help when they ask for it.
“I hope that today's opportunity to see in action how our
trauma-informed, survivor voice and data-led approaches to the
provision and development of our specialist services for women
and girls, is welcomed too as future decisions continue to be
made.”
Background
The Equally Safe Delivery
Plan is available to view online.
This plan is based on the most recently Equally Safe Strategy,
as published in December 2023.
Frontline projects funded through the Delivering Equally Safe
Fund have supported 58,491 adults, children and young
people since 2021.
