Scottish Woman’s Aid funding: FOI release

Information requested

Please supply me with the total amount of funding supplied to Scottish Woman's aid(, Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women's Rights Group) from 1st March 2020 until present date? Please break this down for each funding item i.e. funding t provide training on coercive control to front line services including but it limited to additional funding awarded to deal with the anticipated increase in assistance during the lock down phase that commenced on March 23rd 2020.'
https://www.scotsman.com/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-fund-gives-womens-domestic-abusecharities-ps15mboost-2524152
Please supply me with the conditions of funding, which stipulate the exact criteria that is required from Scottish Women's aid appertaining to each payment from the public purse?

Please also provide recorded information that evidences that Male victims of Domestic Abuse are not being disenfranchised by these woman's rights group, not acknowledging that Men are victims also.

Men have a protected characteristic under the Equalities act 2010, being SEX, as being of the male species will last more than 12 months.

Please also state what professional standards and quality assurance reporting is required to comply with the the service they provide this is to ensure the you are provided VfM whilst not cutting back on Quality, and they are adequately and suitably trained to perform this training.'

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in the format you asked for. I can confirm that both Scottish Women's Aid (SWA) and Rape Crisis Scotland have received a grant from the Scottish Government's Immediate Priorities fund.

Scottish Women's Aid (SWA) and Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS) received funds for April – September 2020 for £1,350,000 and £226,309 respectively from the Scottish Government’s £350 million Communities Fund to ensure that access to their key support services are maintained.

You will see attached to this response the original applications from SWA and RCS which give the detail of how they intend to use this funding. Please note that these are preliminary forecasts and we will receive reports on how these funds have been put to use in September, once the six month funding period has elapsed.

Please also see the grant offer letters sent to both organisations for the funds described previously; there you will be able to see the conditions upon which those grant offers were made.

Scottish Women's Rights Group have received no funding since 1st March 2020.

The Scottish Government has also provided bridge funding to other services, such as Sacro's Fearfree who work with male survivors of domestic abuse.

The Scottish Government does not hold evidence that funds to women's rights services, such as Scottish Women's Aid, do not disenfranchise male victims of domestic abuse.

Our approach, as set out in our Equally Safe Strategy is to focus on the issue of men’s violence against women and girls, using a definition based on the principles of international law. A gendered analysis does not exclude men, but rather recognises that women and girls are disproportionately affected by particular forms of violence that they experience because they are women and girls. Many men and boys are victims of violence and abuse. Some boys experience the forms of abuse outlined already in relation to children and young people, whilst some men are victims.

We condemn all forms of violence and abuse, whilst recognising that particular forms of violence are disproportionately experienced by one gender and require a strong strategic focus. Men have a critical role in challenging violence, breaking down gender norms and in helping to ensure greater gender equality in society – they are also entitled to support when they experience violence and abuse.

Please note, exemptions under section s.38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI-202000046545 Information released

File type

PDF

File size

2.2 MB