This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New £1 million fund for abused women
27/11/2003
A new £1 million fund to provide support services to
help women who have been raped, abused, exploited or
assaulted sexually was announced today.
During a Parliamentary debate on violence against women,
Communities Minister Margaret Curran said that the funding
commitment demonstrates the Executive's determination to
create a Scotland where everyone feels safe and secure at
home and in their communities.
The Minister said:
"We know only too well that sexual violence against
women and children prevails throughout Scotland. Rape and
sexual abuse are despicable acts that have devastating and
lasting effects on women's physical and emotional
wellbeing.
"This is why I am announcing a new £1 million fund which
aims to tackle violence against women. This will be
targeted at women who have experienced rape or sexual
assault, who are survivors of child sexual abuse and who
are being sexually exploited. It will provide practical
services that offer women counselling, emotional support,
advice and advocacy.
"This complements the substantial progress that this
Executive has made in helping to raise awareness of the
devastating consequences of domestic abuse. We have
invested millions to improve and increase provision in
Scotland's refuges.
"And working with Scottish Women's Aid, we have
introduced new services so that women and children who are
suffering domestic abuse have access to a wide range of
support."
Margaret Curran also announced extended funding for
domestic abuse services. This means that the £3 million a
year Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund - which is due
to end in March 2004 - will continue for a further two
years. It is supporting 55 local projects across
Scotland.
The Minister also announced an extension to the Domestic
Abuse Helpline service - 0800 027 1234.
She said:
"We know that the helpline is providing a very valuable
and necessary service and I can announce today that it will
operate for 24 hours a day throughout the Christmas and
early New Year period while our television advertising
campaign is running. This will help to ensure that women
experiencing domestic abuse can access help and information
at whatever time of day or night during a time when we know
that domestic abuse increases."
Applications for the Violence Against Women Fund will be
invited from local authorities and the Executive will be
asking members of the National Group to Address Violence
against Women to participate in the analysis of the
bids.
The new £1 million funding will be allocated over two
years - £500,000 each year from April 2004. The funding
will come in part from the £1.5 million National Group To
Tackle Violence Against Women budget - previously announced
in the last Spending Review - and in part from the
Executive's Equality Unit.
The Refuge Development Programme has provided £10
million to Communities Scotland, over three years from
April 2001 to develop refuges for women experiencing
domestic abuse.
Earlier this week, the Executive announced an increase
in core funding for Scottish Women's Aid - from £191,486 to
£246,289 for the period 2004/05.