Chamber
Plenary, 07 Dec 2005
07 Dec 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Violence Against Women
In the short time that I have, I want to make particular reference to the effect that violence against women has on our children and young people. There is a substantial body of research that demonstrates both the scale of domestic abuse and the impact that it has on children and young people. I will highlight a few statistics that emphasise the scale of that impact.
Some 100,000 children in Scotland live with domestic abuse and 90 per cent of them are in the room or in an adjacent room during attacks on their mother. One third of those children try to intervene to protect their mother and many of them are injured during that attempt. Some 76 per cent of children who are ordered by courts to have contact with a violent parent are said to have been further abused as a result. The Barnardo's report "Bitter Legacy: the emotional effects of domestic violence on children" reveals that in 50 per cent of cases of violence between adults there is violence against children too.
The Scottish Executive has shown unquestionable commitment, support and leadership in relation to the gender-based violence agenda and the protection of our children and young people. I agree with the minister and others that the joint working approach has led to the implementation of innovative policies such as the national domestic abuse prevention strategy and refuges for women, children and young people.
In October 2004, the Scottish Executive published guidance notes for planners on children and young people who experience domestic abuse. It was agreed that Fife domestic abuse forum's annual conference should focus on those guidance notes. The conference was seen as an ideal opportunity to develop an action plan that outlined the way forward and utilised the experience of the wide range of practitioners in Fife. I am pleased that Johann Lamont addressed the conference, which was held in April this year, and outlined the Executive's vision. At the conference, 120 professionals who work with children and young people in Fife—in both the voluntary sector and the statutory sector—identified key themes. From that, the Fife action plan was developed.
The Executive has announced funding for the development of specialist services. That is welcome. Partnerships throughout Scotland have the opportunity to apply for funding from the violence against women fund. In Fife, we will apply for funding for a children's co-ordinator and I hope that the application will be successful. A successful application for Executive funding enabled the appointment of a training co-ordinator in Fife. That will allow the working group on children and young people to develop appropriate training for service providers. I know that the minister will agree that such training is important. In speaking to key service providers locally, it has become apparent to me that we are managing to make a difference in terms of provision, protection and prevention. There are several factors at play and the partnership between the Executive and local bodies is crucial.
I am chair of the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on survivors of childhood sexual abuse, which has been working closely with the Executive on the issues that affect our communities. The group welcomes the establishment of the survivors reference group, which will help to take forward our agenda. I am also a member of the Fife domestic and sexual abuse partnership and I thank all the members of that group for their help and support, particularly Sheila Noble and Avz Crossley, whose innovation and commitment have helped to make such a difference.
Executive and local partnerships are crucial and, when they are effective, they can be powerful. Many challenges lie ahead but we must celebrate the road that we have travelled and, in particular, dispel the myths that surround abuse. Our generation has a great opportunity to protect today's children as well as to support yesterday's. Together, we can and must do that. I ask members to support the motion in the name of the minister.
Some 100,000 children in Scotland live with domestic abuse and 90 per cent of them are in the room or in an adjacent room during attacks on their mother. One third of those children try to intervene to protect their mother and many of them are injured during that attempt. Some 76 per cent of children who are ordered by courts to have contact with a violent parent are said to have been further abused as a result. The Barnardo's report "Bitter Legacy: the emotional effects of domestic violence on children" reveals that in 50 per cent of cases of violence between adults there is violence against children too.
The Scottish Executive has shown unquestionable commitment, support and leadership in relation to the gender-based violence agenda and the protection of our children and young people. I agree with the minister and others that the joint working approach has led to the implementation of innovative policies such as the national domestic abuse prevention strategy and refuges for women, children and young people.
In October 2004, the Scottish Executive published guidance notes for planners on children and young people who experience domestic abuse. It was agreed that Fife domestic abuse forum's annual conference should focus on those guidance notes. The conference was seen as an ideal opportunity to develop an action plan that outlined the way forward and utilised the experience of the wide range of practitioners in Fife. I am pleased that Johann Lamont addressed the conference, which was held in April this year, and outlined the Executive's vision. At the conference, 120 professionals who work with children and young people in Fife—in both the voluntary sector and the statutory sector—identified key themes. From that, the Fife action plan was developed.
The Executive has announced funding for the development of specialist services. That is welcome. Partnerships throughout Scotland have the opportunity to apply for funding from the violence against women fund. In Fife, we will apply for funding for a children's co-ordinator and I hope that the application will be successful. A successful application for Executive funding enabled the appointment of a training co-ordinator in Fife. That will allow the working group on children and young people to develop appropriate training for service providers. I know that the minister will agree that such training is important. In speaking to key service providers locally, it has become apparent to me that we are managing to make a difference in terms of provision, protection and prevention. There are several factors at play and the partnership between the Executive and local bodies is crucial.
I am chair of the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on survivors of childhood sexual abuse, which has been working closely with the Executive on the issues that affect our communities. The group welcomes the establishment of the survivors reference group, which will help to take forward our agenda. I am also a member of the Fife domestic and sexual abuse partnership and I thank all the members of that group for their help and support, particularly Sheila Noble and Avz Crossley, whose innovation and commitment have helped to make such a difference.
Executive and local partnerships are crucial and, when they are effective, they can be powerful. Many challenges lie ahead but we must celebrate the road that we have travelled and, in particular, dispel the myths that surround abuse. Our generation has a great opportunity to protect today's children as well as to support yesterday's. Together, we can and must do that. I ask members to support the motion in the name of the minister.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-3670, in the name of Malcolm Chisholm, on violence against women. I call Johann Lamont to speak to and mo...
The Deputy Minister for Communities (Johann Lamont):
Lab
As all members are aware, this debate is very important—some might even say that it is symbolic of the Parliament that we have at least an annual debate on v...
Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
A great deal of domestic violence goes unreported. Unfortunately, it sometimes comes to light only when it results in serious offences, including murder. Giv...
Johann Lamont:
Lab
I do not know the specifics of the measures, but I will be more than happy to examine the detail if Stewart Maxwell provides it.It is clear that there needs ...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I rise to speak to the amendment in my name and to support the motion and the amendment in the name of Margaret Mitchell.I recognise the serious and sustaine...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con):
Con
An issue such as violence against women not only transcends party politics but unites individuals and groups around the world in a common purpose, namely the...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
The United Nations international elimination of violence against women day on 25 November and the 16 days campaign that follow it are intended to help indivi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The member has one minute.
Nora Radcliffe:
LD
It has roots in social structures and cultural attitudes that have historically privileged men's needs over women's needs, thus creating the conditions for v...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I have to hurry you.
Nora Radcliffe:
LD
I have one more sentence. If more violent crime is being reported because more people find violence unacceptable, that means that the message that we are try...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
The member really must close.
Nora Radcliffe:
LD
I hope that what we do here to challenge and change attitudes and what is accepted will eventually have wider currency.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
We move to the open debate. Time is extremely tight, so members must stick to four minutes each if I am to get everybody in.
Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab):
Lab
In the short time that I have, I want to make particular reference to the effect that violence against women has on our children and young people. There is a...
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
The minister is quite right to repeat on an annual basis that violence against women is entirely unacceptable. There is no excuse for it—no one deserves a sl...
Johann Lamont:
Lab
Violence in Scotland is an important matter. However, does the member agree that despite the existence or absence of machismo in the cultures that exist acro...
Mr MacAskill:
SNP
Absolutely. I do not dispute that some cultures have less machismo than ours but still have the problem of violence against women.Part of the root problem in...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab):
Lab
The 16 days of activism against gender violence is now in its 15th year. Since 1991, approximately 1,700 organisations in approximately 130 countries have pa...
Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con):
Con
As one of the men who are here, I underline the fact that the debate has been inspired by the international day of action to combat violence against women wo...
Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I declare an interest as a director of Ross-shire Women's Aid. In the area that I represent, new refuges have been built and Highland Council, the Northern c...
Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green):
Green
In its recent campaign, Amnesty International asked us to imagine a world where women and girls are free from gender-based violence and discrimination, where...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
During the past fortnight or so, there have been some concerning press reports on or around violence against women. The minister and others mentioned the Amn...
Cathy Peattie:
Lab
How would the member respond to a local authority that refused to adopt the respect project because it claimed that no such problem existed in its schools?
Elaine Smith:
Lab
That is completely ridiculous and the local authority should reconsider its decision.Despite its considerable achievements, the primary prevention approach t...
Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
I agree with much of what other speakers have said in today's welcome debate, which is part of the on-going process of challenging gender violence.I want to ...
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind):
Ind
I will confine my remarks to one aspect of violence against women. The expert report on prostitution has as a stated objective"To influence the attitudes whi...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
This has been a consensual debate in which many new issues about domestic abuse have been raised, in comparison with previous debates. I am pleased to suppor...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
The debate is timely, not only because of the international 16 days of activism but because it is the start of the festive season. Domestic violence, or viol...
Margaret Mitchell:
Con
If not the ending of automatic early release for crimes of violence across the board, would the member support the ending of automatic early release for viol...