Mental health and wellbeing in primary care services: resources

15. Violence Against Women and Girls

15.1 Violence Against Women and Girls

The phrase violence against women and girls is used to describe violent and abusive behaviour directed at women and girls because they are women and girls. It can include:

• physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, and financial abuse occurring in the family, within the general community, and in institutions in both physical and digital spaces and places
• domestic abuse/coercive controlling behaviours, stalking, rape, incest, sexual harassment, bullying, and intimidation
• commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), including prostitution, lap dancing, stripping, pornography
• human trafficking, including for the purposes of domestic servitude, sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation, which may include gangs and organised criminal networks
• child abuse occurring within family settings, including domestic abuse, and sexual abuse by male family members including siblings
• child sexual abuse and exploitation including the production and sharing of indecent images of children
• honour-based abuse, including forced marriages, female genital mutilation (FGM), dowry abuse and ‘honour based’ coercive control and killings.

It is important for all staff to respond compassionately and appropriately to any disclosure made and where to refer survivors for specialist support. A trauma informed response includes:

• Listen without blaming.
• Remember that it takes trust to share experience of abuse, Don’t push the person for details of the abuse.
• Acknowledge the wrong done and let them know no-one deserves to be abused.
• If they have suffered physical harm, accompany them to get medical assistance.
• Help them report any assaults to the police, if they so choose.
• Allow them to make their own decisions about what to do next.
• Be ready to share the support contacts below:
  • Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline on 0800 027 1234. www.sdafmh.org.uk.
  • For those affected by sexual violence there is the Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline 08088 01 03 02. www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk.

For further information:

• Safer Scotland provides guidance and signposting to support on Domestic.
• Abuse, Spiking, Intimate Image Abuse, and Commercial Sexual Exploitation.
• Public Health Scotland provides an overview of Gender based violence and details of local GBV contacts.

15.2 That’s Not OK | Young Scot

That’s Not Ok is a resource co-designed with and for young people on consent, healthy relationships and these different forms of violence. Healthy relationships and consent: key messages for young people on healthy relationships and consent for any professional working with young people age 11 up. These work just as well for adults.