What is the SNP doing to tackle violence against women & girls?

The SNP is committed to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) through prevention, education, strengthening justice responses, and increasing support for services.

Our core policy framework is the Equally Safe strategy, developed as the Scottish Government with COSLA and partner organisations.

Key actions the SNP government has taken include:

1. Implementing the Equally Safe Strategy

Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls focuses on preventing violence before it occurs; building the capacity of support services; and strengthening responses by the justice system for victims and perpetrators.

2. Funding Support Services

The SNP has invested £21.6 million in the Delivering Equally Safe Fund which supports 115 projects run by 107 organisations across all Scottish local authorities. This has supported more than 67,000 adults, children and young people since its launch.

3. Education & Prevention Work

The SNP government emphasises the importance of early messaging in schools to shift societal attitudes.

Key programs include Equally Safe at School (ESAS) which has recieved funding of £1.89 million over four years to be delivered by Rape Crisis Scotland which has helped implement the National Sexual Violence Prevention Programme.

Of at least 133 schools participating, they have used a whole‑school approach to challenge gender-based violence and inequality to reach 135,000+ young people over the past 10 years.