This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Research verdict on Zero Tolerance
21/06/2002
A school pilot scheme aimed at preventing violence
against women has proved successful, according to new
research published today.
An evaluation of the Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust's
'
Respect' programme, which is funded by the
Executive, found that young people involved believed that
they had learned more about healthy relationships and
challenging gender stereotypes.
Social Justice Minister Margaret Curran said:
"The education materials produced by Zero Tolerance have
clearly been very useful. We will now help to ensure that
these materials are made available to schools across
Scotland.
"We must make sure that future generations grow up
understanding that there is absolutely no excuse for
domestic abuse. The
'Respect' education materials have proved
successful in teaching young people about healthy
relationships based on respect and equality."
The main findings were:
- Over 90 per cent of respondents believe that there
is a clear need for this kind of work
- The education materials generated discussion of
issues which had not been examined properly with young
people in the past
- The majority of young people believed that they had
learned more about respect, communication, equality,
power, violence and abuse
- The materials, with some amendments, would be
useful and appropriate in schools and youth work
settings in Scotland
During 2000, over £50,000 funding was provided by
the Executive to the Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust to
develop the
'Respect' pilot project. A further £50,000 will be
provided for Zero Tolerance to roll out the programme
across Scotland. This will include revising the education
materials, printing sets for every local authority, and
holding a series of seminars to promote the pack.
Dr Sheila Henderson of Reid Howie Associates conducted
the evaluation. The pilot was carried out in two primary
and two secondary schools in Edinburgh and Glasgow and a
number of youth groups in each city.
Executive action on domestic abuse includes:
- A long running advertising campaign to raise
awareness and change attitudes
- Setting up a national freephone domestic abuse
helpline, sponsored by Thus plc
- A national strategy to address domestic abuse and
£23m over four years to provide protection, prevention
and provision for victims
A working group set up by the National Group to Address
Domestic Abuse in Scotland is developing a national
prevention strategy. It will emphasise the need for primary
prevention work with young people to stop abuse before it
happens.