Event Summary
Join colleagues from across criminal justice, central and local government, health and social services, housing, third sector, and night-time economy at Holyrood Insight’s Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Scotland digital conference in November.
Two years on from the refreshed Equally Safe Strategy, and with the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill progressing through Parliament, the conference will review the progress made to eradicate male violence against women and girls.
Chaired by Tam Baillie, Chair of the Child Protection Committees Scotland, you’ll hear a keynote address from Rona Mackay MSP with an update on government policy, legislation, and funding priorities.
With a focus on prevention and victim-centred approaches, ACC Steve Johnson will discuss Police Scotland’s strategy to build trust, pursue perpetrators, and create safe spaces for women.
The Scottish Law Commission will cover potential reforms to civil justice responses to domestic abuse, including proposals to improve the experiences of vulnerable victims and witnesses and embed trauma-informed approaches across justice services.
Deborah O’Brien Demick, HM Chief Inspector of Prosecution will discuss the Implications of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill and best practice case studies of improving victim support and communication through the criminal justice process.
With one in five women in Scotland experiencing domestic abuse in their lifetime, we will discover best practice in supporting victims and consider the changes proposed in the incoming Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill.
With the Casey report establishing a national inquiry into child grooming gangs in England, this conference will explore the scale and nature of organised sexual exploitation in Scotland and next steps to tackle it. Receive an update on the work of the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group and learning from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.
Educating children and young people is one of the most powerful ways to break the cycle of VAWG. Hear directly from young people about emerging concerns including the impact of online misogynistic influencers. Explore what interventions work to support young people to understand consent, healthy relationships, and the signs of abusive behaviour.
Key Points
- Progress and next steps in implementing the Equally Safe Strategy and delivery plan
- Reforms in the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill
- Implications of the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill
- Tackling grooming gangs and the implications of the Casey report for Scotland and the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry
- Prevention work to tackle underlying attitudes that perpetuate VAWG
- Building trust in the criminal justice system to improve reporting and sentencing
- Making services inclusive for vulnerable women including ethnic minorities, disabled and LGBT+ women
- Developing a Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review Model for Scotland
- Improving the response to victims of domestic abuse and reducing the number of related homicides
- Using survivors’ lived experience to help shape policies, programmes, and services
