Violence prevention framework for Scotland: annual progress report 2023 to 2024

Ministerial Foreword

The Scottish Government’s public health approach to tackling violence is focused on supporting people to turn their lives around and keeping our communities safer. By having a range of services working together and focused on prevention, we can make the changes we want to see. And we all want to see less crime, fewer victims, and safer communities.

By all the main measures, non-sexual violence^[1] has reduced over the last 15 or so years but for anyone who has been impacted by violence, this is cold comfort. And we also know that in too many communities, and for some individuals, violence persists and can be seen as a normal part of life. We must not let that persist, no level or form of violence is acceptable or should be tolerated.

Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety

The Violence Prevention Framework published last year, was the first of its kind in Scotland and sets out a comprehensive range of activity to prevent violence from happening in the first place and to reduce the impact when it does occur. This ambitious three-year programme, also aligns with the timeframe for the delivery plan for our Vision for Justice.

Importantly, the Framework recognises that there are many forms of violence and no straightforward solutions to preventing perpetrators or protecting people from harm. It has therefore been critical that, through the Framework, we continue to adopt a collaborative approach, involving a range of organisations, each with a role to play.

This report highlights the progress that has been made with our partners on our shared programme. The key developments are captured in the following pages and have been backed by the £4 million of funding the Scottish Government has committed so far to reducing violence and to the implementation of this programme.

Through this progress report, it is clear how the overarching Framework is continuing to support, and strengthen, targeted work to tackle hate crime, youth offending, poverty and inequalities – as well as our response to address gender-based violence in line with Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to eradicate men’s violence against women and girls.

I am encouraged by the start we have made. In the months and years ahead, the Scottish Government will continue to work alongside our partner organisations – including Police Scotland, Medics Against Violence, YouthLink Scotland and the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit – to deliver the Framework’s actions in full.

It is by working together, that we will continue to drive the collective focus on prevention and early intervention, so that more communities across Scotland are safe and that more people live free from violence and the threat of violence.