Victims/Survivors of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG)

Equally Safe: Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls was originally published in 2014 and updated in 2017. It was developed by the Scottish Government and COSLA in association with a wide range of partners from public and third sector organisations. It is owned jointly by COSLA and the Scottish Government.

The Equally Safe strategy adopts a vision of a strong and flourishing Scotland where all individuals are equally safe and respected, and where women and girls live free from all forms of violence and abuse, as well as the attitudes that perpetuate it. This strategy provides a framework towards the realisation of that ambition. This chapter sets out what local authorities should take into account, when they suspect that a person they are supporting subject to the NRPF condition might also be a victim/survivor of violence against women and girls (VAWG¹³⁵). As part of their wider public health duties, local authorities have key roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding women, children and young people experiencing VAWG who have NRPF.

17.1 Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Scotland

The Scottish Government and COSLA’s Equally Safe strategy seeks to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls (VAWG), defined as a range of actions that harm, or cause suffering and indignity to, women and children.

These include but are not limited to:

• “physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family (including children and young people), within the general community or in institutions, including domestic abuse, rape, and incest;
• sexual harassment, bullying and intimidation in any public or private space, including work;
• commercial sexual exploitation, including prostitution, lap dancing, stripping, pornography and trafficking;
• child sexual abuse, including familial sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation and online abuse;
• so called ‘honour based’ violence, including dowry related violence, female genital mutilation, forced and child marriages, and ‘honour’ crimes.”

The Equally Safe Delivery Plan (2017) set out 118 actions under 4 priority areas that Scottish Government, COSLA and partners took to implement the strategy over a five-year period. In 2022, Scottish Government and COSLA issued an Equally Safe Short Life Delivery Plan, which runs to autumn 2023, containing 33 actions and reaffirming the commitment to the overriding aims of the four key priorities of the Equally Safe strategy:

• Priority 1 – Scottish society embraces equality and mutual respect, and rejects all forms of violence against women and girls.
• Priority 2 – Women and girls thrive as equal citizens: socially, culturally, economically and politically.
• Priority 3 – Interventions are early and effective, preventing violence and maximising the safety and wellbeing of women, children and young people.
• Priority 4 – Men desist from all forms of violence against women and girls, and perpetrators of such violence receive a robust and effective response.

At a local level, Violence Against Women Partnerships (VAWPs) are recognised as the multiagency mechanism for delivering the Equally Safe Strategy. They are tasked with ensuring collaboration and coordination among services, organisations and agencies involved in addressing VAWG across the local system.

17.2 Local Authority Duties towards Victims/Vurvivors of VAWG 

Local authority duties towards victims/survivors of VAWG are the same as those outlined in previous chapters towards NRPF individuals and families, with some additional considerations which require to be taken into account.

A key consideration is that migrant women and girls subject to NRPF who are dependent on the perpetrator of violence against them for food and accommodation might struggle to leave the relationship and support themselves and their children.

In many cases, women can be denied refuge accommodation if that refuge is funded by the government via Housing Benefit (a public fund for purposes of NRPF) and this can leave migrant women and girls with limited options for accessing safe accommodation.

Whilst it is possible, in some cases, for migrant women and girls in these circumstances to access a temporary form of support called the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession which will allow them to access public funds while applying to settle in the UK for domestic violence, this is a narrow exception which does not meet the needs of all victims/survivors of VAWG.

In December 2022, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales issued a special report on migrant survivors of domestic abuse, calling for an “overhaul of support” and warning “migrant survivors must not be allowed to fall through the cracks”.

The gap which persists in access to safety, support and accommodation is so wide for all other victims, that the Independent Strategic Review of Funding and Commissioning of VAWG Services (June 2023) noted:

“5. Women subject to NRPF who do not fall under the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession, should automatically be regarded as vulnerable if they have experienced any form of VAWG.”

In these circumstances, where a victim/survivor of VAWG subject to NRPF is under age 18 or a vulnerable adult towards whom the local authority has social care obligations, and no other form of support is accessible, local authorities have a duty to act to prevent destitution and homelessness.

For more information, see:
8 Social services’ support – children within families
9 Social services’ support – adults

17.3 Support for Migrant Victims/Survivors of VAWG in Scotland

Specialist support available for migrant victims/survivors of VAWG in Scotland includes:

Legal Advice and Advocacy

• Scottish Women’s Rights Centre – provides free, confidential legal advice and advocacy to women facing gender-based violence
• Emergency accommodation for women with NRPF
• Ubuntu Women Shelter – provides 72 hours to 1 week emergency accommodation for women with NRPF
• Southhall Black Sisters No Recourse Fund – supports organisations to cover
  migrant women’s housing and subsistence costs
• Women’s Aid groups – some women’s aids groups may be able to provide
  refuge to migrant women with NRPF fleeing abuse

Support and Advocacy

• AMINA – The Muslim Women Resource Centre – They provide emotional and practical support to ethnic minority women. Their support is available in different languages and you can contact them through their helpline. Call: 0808 801 0301
• Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline (open 24/7) – Call: 0800 027 1234, Email: helpline@sdafmh.org.uk, Web chat: sdafmh.org.uk
• Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid – They provide specialist support to women from
  the Asian, Black and Minority ethnic community who have experienced domestic abuse. Website: hematgryffe.org.uk
• Saheliya Supports Black, minority ethnic, asylum seeker, refugee and migrant women and girls (12+) in the Edinburgh and Glasgow area through well-being services and activities. Their services are available in: Edinburgh: 0131 556
  9302, Glasgow: 0141 552 6540
• Shakti Women’s Aid – They offer support to migrant women in Edinburgh and East, Mid, and West Lothian; and have an Outreach service in Fife, in Dundee, and in Forth Valley (Stirling, Falkirk, and Clackmannanshire).
  Website: shaktiedinburgh.co.uk
• Rape Crisis Scotland National Helpline (open daily, 6pm-midnight) – Call: 08088 01 03 02, Text: 07537 410027, Email: support@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
• Ruby Project, Rape Crisis Glasgow – Support and advocacy service specialising in working with women from black and ethnic minority
  communities
• See also Scottish Government’s directory of resources: https://safer.scot/information/da/support/