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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC ABUSE IN SCOTLAND - PROGRESS REPORT
Ministerial Foreword
DRAFT DOMESTIC ABUSE FOREWORD
There is no excuse for domestic abuse - which is why the Scottish Executive has made tackling this problem one of its highest priorities.
We have achieved much since 1999, as this progress report by the National Group to Address Domestic Abuse shows, and I would like to pay a personal tribute to everyone who has helped make the changes of which we can all be very proud.
There is now a network of refuges across Scotland, from Orkney to Stranraer. The first ever national fund to tackle domestic abuse was set up on April 2000 and this supports vital work across the whole country, including preventative work in schools, training for staff and volunteers, and work with children - who are often the forgotten victims of domestic abuse.
And our ground breaking awareness campaigns have brought the reality of domestic abuse into people's homes and helped many hundreds of women take that first step to changing their lives for good.
But we can never be complacent - there are still far too many victims of domestic abuse Scottish Women's Aid estimate that up to 100,000 children are living with domestic abuse and the domestic abuse helpline averages 70 calls a week - rising to 500 a week when the television campaigns are on our screens.
The National Strategy also recognises that while much has been done to improve the protection of women who have been sexually abused, stalked or harassed, there is still more to do. The group is convinced that we need to consider the issues of violence against women and domestic abuse together so we can develop a coherent, systematic approach to tackling all violence against women and children.
By adopting this approach, we will take the first steps towards creating the kind of Scotland we all want - one where woman and children can live a full and satisfying life, free from the fear of violence.
Margaret Curran
Minister for Social Justice
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