We believe that a world without domestic abuse is not just a dream, it is a possibility. Never doubt it – changing attitudes changes lives.
Ellen Pence
It was with sadness that we learned of the death on Friday 6 January of Ellen Pence, co-founder of the world-renowned Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Duluth. Ellen was a leading light in the struggle to end domestic abuse and has left a lasting legacy, not only in her home state of Minnesota, but internationally. Ellen's commitment to creating real and lasting change for women experiencing domestic abuse will continue to inform and inspire our thinking.
16 Days of Action to End Violence Against women
In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly designated November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It also marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence which ends on December 10, International Human Rights Day. These dates symbolically emphasise violence against women as a human rights violation.
This year the UN outlined a comprehensive policy agenda to end violence against women around the world.
“Violence against women remains one of the most widespread human rights violations yet one of the least prosecuted crimes. Although equality between women and men is guaranteed in the Constitutions of 139 countries and territories, all too often women are denied justice and protection from violence. This failure does not stem from a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of investment and political will to meet women’s needs and protect their fundamental rights. It is time for governments to take responsibility.”
- Michelle Bachelet, UN Women Executive Director
22 November 2011
Download the 16 steps to end violence against women here.
SWA Census reveals 1 in 3 women turned away from refuge
Scottish Women's Aid has conducted its third annual 24 hour snapshot of the demand for services provided by our member groups across Scotland. The results reveal the comprehensive support local Women's Aid groups provide to women, children and young people, and an alarming indication of the strain placed upon services. For the full report, click here.
Funding survey
Our latest funding survey reveals a worrying position for the majority of Women’s Aid groups in Scotland, with 84 per cent operating with a reduced or standstill budget. With the Scottish Government budget due to be announced, this is a tense time for groups, struggling to maintain levels of service against a backdrop of reduced revenue. View the full survey results here.
Preventative Spending
The Scottish Government has agreed that an approach to public spending which focuses on prevention as well as tackling social issues is key to managing decreasing funds.
In this response, Scottish Women’s Aid asks for a Government commitment to funding services which work to prevent and respond to violence against women.
These programmes save costs elsewhere in the system by decreasing the need for more expensive long term healthcare and criminal justice costs. To find out more, view the full report here.
Women's Aid in Scotland National Service Standards
The Women's Aid in Scotland National Service Standards (NSS) are a collaborative development between a number of Women's Aid groups and Scottish Women's Aid (SWA).
The NSS were developed because of the lack of benchmarking information for specialist domestic abuse services. The NSS provide a comprehensive approach to ensure consistent good practice across Women's Aid groups, as well as a system to measure and evidence the specialist domestic abuse services Women's Aid deliver. A peer assessment approach is used to carry out the assessment to ensure that the groups are being assessed by workers who understand and have experience of working within a domestic abuse setting. This approach also ensures that the assessment is independent and is being carried out by an independent assessor.
We hope Local Authorities adopt the NSS as a quality assessment framework to evidence the specialist services provided by Women's Aid and the difference those services make to the lives of women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.
Meeting the NSS is a voluntary process for Women's Aid groups to work towards; however we hope that all groups will have been assessed and meet the NSS by the end of 2014.
For further information please contact Ash Kuloo on 0131 226 6606.
To download the NSS please visit the Publications section of our website.
SWA Annual Report 2010-2011
SWA's Annual Report for 2010-2011 is now available for download here.
SWA Census Day 2011
The results of the Census Day 2011 is available for download here.
National Outcome evaluation report launched: I don't want to give up anymore.
We've launched our new report looking at the outcomes for women who have used women's aid services. Download the report here (pdf)
You can get help
You have the right to live without fear of violence and abuse.
If you, or someone you know, is being abused by their partner, find out how your local Women’s Aid group can help.
Under 16s
Young people can be affected by domestic and dating abuse. If you're worried about what's happening to you or a parent or a friend you can use this site to find information for young people.
Follow us on twitter 
@scotwomensaid or find us on facebook.
Read about the STOP campaign at http://www.togetherwecanstopit.org/.
You can get help
You have the right to live without fear of violence and abuse.
If you, or someone you know, is being abused by their partner, find out how Women’s Aid can help.
Under 16s
Young people can be affected by domestic and dating abuse. If you're worried about what's happening to you or a parent or a friend you can use this site to find
information for young people.
"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing."
Arundhati Roy, Writer and Activist (2003)