Our History

We have 35 years of experience in providing evidence-based responses to the pressing issues of the time. Our achievements in this period have been significant, and we’re proud to have made a real difference to societal attitudes and the standard of service from agencies that women and their families can expect to receive when experiencing domestic abuse.

Scottish Women’s Aid was founded in 1976 in order to provide national representation for the growing network of Women’s Aid groups throughout Scotland, the first of which were founded in Edinburgh and Glasgow in 1973.

At the national level, our campaigning, lobbying and partnership work has been instrumental in bringing about changes to policy and legislation and the way in which violence against women is viewed and addressed in Scotland.

We are proud of the strong voice and recognition we have achieved at a public and political level. It means we can represent the voices of women and children in Scotland suffering domestic abuse, highlight the seriousness of the issue, and work even more effectively to bring about its end.

To find out more about where we've been, read our 35th anniversary Annual Report