Event Summary

With the Delivering Equally Safe Fund providing just under £23 million a year between 2026 to 2028, Scotland’s approach to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is undergoing transformation.

Join Holyrood Insight’s Tackling VAWG Scotland Digital Conference to understand key policy and funding updates and explore emerging best practice. Hear from pioneers and leaders across Scotland, including Jimmy Paul, Head of Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, who will address methods to ensure Scottish VAWG responses nuanced, sensitive, and effective.

Hear from senior decisionmakers on how new and evolving funding routes can benefit your organisation. We will highlight key national priorities for tackling VAWG, including rising reports of sexual crime, and how the Delivering Equally Safe Fund can be used to target these challenges. Gain insight into the changing scope of VAWG policy in Scotland, including responses to increasing areas of concern including sexual crimes and domestic abuse.

We will explore what a genuine whole-system response to VAWG looks like, sharing emerging good practice in local commissioning, service planning, partnership working, and overcoming practical challenges to deliver  comprehensive VAWG strategies. We will highlight key responsibilities when tackling cross-cutting issues such as homelessness and domestic abuse.

Gain valuable resources, toolkits, and approaches to challenging misogynistic attitudes in schools and embedding prevention in education. Hear the latest insights from  the Equally Safe at School programme, and best practice examples of educating young people on sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

We will also explore perpetrator management and challenging misogynistic behaviour among adult men and prevention beyond school settings.

Learn how violence impacts different demographics of women in distinct ways. With specialist sessions on ethnic minority women and disabled and neurodiverse women, you will gain an understanding of how strategies can be tailored to meet diverse needs.  We will spotlight how VAWG differs across rural and urban contexts, as well as for women of different ages. Gain insight on how to adapt existing strategies to ensure they are compassionate, victim-centred, trauma-informed, and intersectional.

With the rise of online harms and generative AI, we will offer a deep dive into digital VAWG and technology-facilitated abuse. Ahead of outcomes from the Improving protections in the justice system for women and girls consultation, we will explore emerging themes including image-based abuse, deepfakes and AI, algorithmic amplification harmful voices, and the continuing crisis of online misogyny and incel-culture.

In our spotlight session on domestic homicide and suicide reviews, you will gain a deeper understanding of the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Act 2025 and understand the practical realities undertaking domestic homicide and suicide reviews. With standards expected to be released in Spring 2027, hear from existing trailblazers and experts who are already leading the way in this developing area.

Don’t miss this opportunity to address the major challenges currently facing Scotland, and to ensure your organisation’s approach to tackling VAWG is robust, informed and effective.

Key Points

  • Understanding the practicalities of the Delivering Equally Safe Fund
  • Exploring the realities of digital harms, tech-facilitated abuse, and online misogyny
  • Strengthening multi-agency and collaborative approaches to tackling VAWG
  • Working with perpetrators to break the cycle of crime
  • Promoting allyship of men and boys through challenging the misogynistic behaviours and school-based interventions
  • Ensuring comprehensive support for survivors and trauma-informed services
  • Instilling an intersectional approach and recognising the varying needs and risks associated with different demographics
  • Undertaking domestic homicide and suicide reviews effectively

Sponsorship

Interested in sponsoring this event? Click here for sponsorship opportunities.