abuse – Page 2 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Charity calls for urgent Government action to combat abuse of older people

At the start of Safer Ageing Week, Hourglass (Safer Ageing) calls on the Government to meet with the charity as calls to helpline surge

After months of trying to secure a meeting with the Safeguarding Minister, delayed due to changes in Ministers and turmoil in the heart of Government, Hourglass is frustrated that the Home Office has now cancelled another scheduled meeting with Minister Sarah Dines for Wednesday 14 December.

The meeting has been cancelled due to the Home Office launching a commercial competition for funding as part of Violence Against Women and Girls VAWG) strategy. Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is the only specialist UK wide charity supporting older victim-survivors of abuse, with 40% of the casework being with older men.

Hourglass, the only UK-wide charity focused on ending the abuse and neglect of older people, believes there needs to be a separate strategy and funding pool to address abuse of older people, as they have specific needs that a different to other demographics.

Hourglass has seen a 96% increase in calls to its 24/7 helpline this year. It is unacceptable that every request made by the charity to meet with Ministers has fallen on deaf ears when older people are suffering.

On 29 July this year, the Ready for Rishi Campaign made the following commitment to Hourglass: “If he is fortunate enough to be elected as Prime Minister, a Rishi-led government would seek to engage with organisations supporting victims, such as Hourglass, in order to ensure that no one is left behind and the needs of all those who need help are met.”

The Prime Minister now needs to honour his campaign pledge and ensure his Ministers meet with Hourglass to tackle abuse of older people.

Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass, said: “With Safer Ageing Week looming, it is incredibly sad that the charity has had this vital meeting cancelled once again. This is not just disappointing; it is a dereliction of duty.

“We are seeing significant increases in calls to our helpline and casework referrals, yet the government still do not take this issue seriously.

“The Violence Against Women and Girls strategy is designed to address this important issue. The criteria for VAWG funding applications will obviously be based on addressing violence against women and girls, not abuse of older people which needs a separate strategy and funding model.

“Support to stem sexual violence in the Ukraine was this week confirmed at £3.45 million with an additional £12.5 million to tackle sexual violence in conflict globally. These, like the equally essential child abuse and domestic abuse charities deserve this support, we are simply asking why are older people last in line? The £300k committed to date seems to underline how far towards the bottom of the list of priorities the 2.7m people affected by elder abuse seem to be.”

The charity confirms it will apply for Government funding from their newly announced VAWG grant scheme.

However, with the enormous pressures of the cost of living crisis and a huge spike in calls to the Hourglass 24/7 helpline, the organisation believes it needs to be at the heart of a Safer Ageing Strategy for older people.

The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to make a donation by visiting www.wearehourglass.org.uk/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10.

Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.

New laws to better protect victims from abuse of intimate images

Victims will be better protected from abusers who share intimate images without their consent, under a raft of changes to the law announced today (25 November 2022).

new offences to be created in crackdown on abusers who share intimate images without consent
changes will strengthen law and deliver on Prime Minister’s pledge to outlaw ‘downblousing’
comprehensive package of measures to modernise legislation following Law Commission review

Under a planned amendment to the Online Safety Bill, people who share so-called ‘deepfakes’ – explicit images or videos which have been manipulated to look like someone without their consent – will be among those to be specifically criminalised for the first time and face potential time behind bars.

The Westminster government will also bring forward a package of additional laws to tackle a range of abusive behaviour including the installation of equipment, such as hidden cameras, to take or record images of someone without their consent.

These will cover so-called ‘downblousing’ – where photos are taken down a woman’s top without consent – allowing police and prosecutors to pursue such cases more effectively.

This will deliver on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to criminalise the practice, in line with previous measures this government has taken to outlaw ‘upskirting’.

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, said: “We must do more to protect women and girls, from people who take or manipulate intimate photos in order to hound or humiliate them.

“Our changes will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to bring these cowards to justice and safeguard women and girls from such vile abuse.

Today’s announcement builds on the campaign of Dame Maria Miller MP, as well as recommendations from the Law Commission, to introduce reforms to the laws covering the abuse of images.

The amendment to the Online Safety Bill will broaden the scope of current intimate image offences, so that more perpetrators will face prosecution and potentially time in jail.

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs, said: “I welcome these moves by the government which aim to make victims and survivors safer online, on the streets and in their own homes.

“I am pleased to see this commitment in the Online Safety Bill, and hope to see it continue its progression through Parliament at the earliest opportunity.”

Around 1 in 14 adults in England and Wales have experienced a threat to share intimate images, with more than 28,000 reports of disclosing private sexual images without consent recorded by police between April 2015 and December 2021.

The package of reforms follows growing global concerns around the abuse of new technology, including the increased prevalence of deepfakes. These typically involve the use of editing software to make and share fake images or videos of a person without their consent, which are often pornographic in nature. A website that virtually strips women naked received 38 million hits in the first 8 months of 2021.

The government will take forward several of the Law Commission’s recommendations to ensure legislation keeps pace with technology and can effectively tackle emerging forms of abuse.

This includes:

Repealing and replacing current legislation with new offences to simplify the law and make it easier to prosecute cases. This includes a new base offence of sharing an intimate image without consent and 2 more serious offences based on intent to cause humiliation, alarm, or distress and for obtaining sexual gratification.
Creation of 2 specific offences for threatening to share and installing equipment to enable images to be taken.
Criminalising the non-consensual sharing of manufactured intimate images (more commonly known as deepfakes).

The move builds on government action in recent years to better protect victims and bring more offenders to justice, including making ‘upskirting’ and ‘breastfeeding voyeurism’ specific criminal offences, extending ‘revenge porn’ laws to capture threats to share such images, and using the Online Safety Bill to create an offence specifically targeting ‘cyberflashing’.

Ruth Davison, CEO of Refuge, said: “Refuge welcomes these reforms and is pleased to see progress in tackling abuse perpetrated via technology. As the only frontline service with a specialist tech abuse team, Refuge is uniquely placed to support survivors who experience this form of abuse.

“We campaigned successfully for threatening to share intimate images with intent to cause distress to be made a crime, via the Domestic Abuse Act, and these reforms will further ensure police and law enforcement agencies rightly investigate and prosecute these serious offences.

“Tech abuse can take many forms, and Refuge hopes that these changes will signal the start of a much broader conversation on the need for strengthening the response to online abuse and harm.”

DCMS Secretary of State Michelle Donelan said: “Through the Online Safety Bill, I am ensuring that tech firms will have to stop illegal content and protect children on their platforms, but we will also upgrade criminal law to prevent appalling offences like cyberflashing.

“With these latest additions to the Bill, our laws will go even further to shield women and children, who are disproportionately affected, from this horrendous abuse once and for all.

“The government will bring forward the wider package of changes as soon as parliamentary time allows and will announce further details in due course.”

Older Victims of abuse are ‘invisible’ and ‘last in line’ for Government support, says elder abuse charity

Marking International Day for Older Persons, Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is calling on the government to urgently support older victims of abuse as they are currently last in line for funding support, as shown in recent research undertaken by the charity.

The charity, which has the only UK-wide 24/7 elder abuse helpline and casework service, is seeing a marked increase in calls and is hitting crisis point due to the lack of government and statutory funding.

During the last financial year, Hourglass received £326,619 in Government grants. In the same year, fellow inspirational charities like the NSPCC (child abuse) received a government grant of £14.7 million, The Safelives Trust (domestic abuse services) £2.1 million, the Kaleidoscope Diversity Trust (Freedom, Safety and Equality for LGBT+ People) over £1 million and the Dogs Trust (life-changing services for dogs in need) over £5 million.

Hourglass pays tribute to the fantastic work of these life-changing charities but is calling on the government to level the playfield for victims of all ages and across the spectrum of abuse services.

The charity has seen a significant increase in helpline calls, answering 96% more calls in August 2022 than the same month last year, it is also reporting a waiting list for casework services.

At the same time the charity faces significant financial uncertainty with funding for this unique service being put out for commercial tender and £16,000 ‘bridging funding’ from the Home Office nowhere near sufficient to maintain the helpline’s 24/7 operation.

Commenting on this Research, Hourglass CEO Richard Robinson said,
“Our Helpline is receiving more calls than ever before dealing with horrendous and complex cases of abuse against older people, who otherwise feel invisible and under-supported.

“We cannot continue to be last in line for financial support. Charities across the entire spectrum of abuse undertake phenomenal work and deserve all of the support they get, but it is telling that the only charity that supports older victims of abuse receive only a fraction of the support. It is truly unacceptable.

“We are coming to a crunch point. If the Hourglass helpline does not receive adequate funding soon, we will have no choice but to downsize. This is disgraceful given the growing number of older people who need our support. We now need urgent action and dialogue.”

Responding to this research, charity patron Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick said: “We have an ageing population and more vulnerable older people – services like the Hourglass helpline play a vital role in ensuring safer ageing.

“The Government must ensure that funding is made available so that the Hourglass helpline can not only maintain but expand its important service to older people.”

Hourglass: Time’s running out

Millions of older people at risk of abuse unless Helpline receives urgent funding

Millions of older people could be at risk of abuse unless urgent funding is found for the UK’s only helpline dedicated to helping those affected by abuse.

Hourglass, the only charity in the UK dedicated to ending the abuse of older people, has a free 24/7 helpline available to anyone concerned about an older person at harm from abuse, whether that’s at home or within the care industry.

Hourglass is calling on the UK Government to help underpin the helpline and help appoint more Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) who specialise in the abuse of older people.

Shortly before she died, the charity’s founder Baroness Greengross wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging the Government to give adequate financial support so the Hourglass helpline can survive.

There has been no response from the Prime Minister, the Home Office or anyone else in Government, despite calls from various MPs and Peers across the political spectrum for them to do so.

The Hourglass helpline currently receives more than 12,000 calls every year, but the charity will have to start significantly reducing its services to society’s most vulnerable older people, unless the Government approves funding by September. The charity predicts that by October this life changing service will need to downsize dramatically.

A report published by Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) recently found that 67% of directors are seeing the number of domestic abuse and safeguarding cases rising. This is further evidence that abuse of older people is a growing problem and further funding and support is vital to ensure older people age safely.

Every year, a million more new older people experience abuse and the charity’s services provide a vital lifeline for those in need.

To survive, the charity needs £1.2 million a year to continue. Unfortunately, current UK Government funding only covers the helpline from 5pm to 9am. To enable the helpline to be available 24/7, Hourglass has been forced to run on its reserves.

Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass, said: “Every single year, around 2.5 million older people are effected by abuse. This could be physical, emotional, financial or sexual abuse or neglect and discrimination in the UK.

“The services we provide are a real lifeline to those in need, but without urgent funding, it will be impossible to carry on at our current levels.

“The consequences of leaving vulnerable elderly people to fend for themselves are usually too terrifying to contemplate. However, this is becoming a tragic reality as we battle to keep providing the helpline so many of them will come to rely on.

“Out of respect to Baroness Greengross, who championed the rights of older people for so many years, and to the millions of older people at risk of abuse, the government now need to take action and provide adequate funding for this service.”

The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to make a donation by visiting www.wearehourglass.org.uk/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10. Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS.

If you would like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.

Free safeguarding course to grassroots sports clubs

Former England, Manchester city, Liverpool and Tottenham player Paul Stewart has partnered with online learning provider High Speed Training to offer a free Safeguarding in Sport training course to all grassroots sports clubs in the UK.

Abuse in grassroots sports is a topic which is very much in the spotlight, following many high profile sports players such as Paul revealing their own experiences of mistreatment in their club as a child.

Paul, who scored for Tottenham in the 1991 FA Cup Final, has been open about his own experiences of abuse in sports as a child and was one of the first players to come forward in 2016 with details of historical abuse at the hands of a youth team coach.

Working with the education and safeguarding experts at High Speed Training, Paul has helped to create the only survivor-led safeguarding course aimed at sports clubs, which is being offered for free to all grassroots sporting clubs in the UK.

Clubs can register to take the training, which is supported by the English Football League and Kick It Out, by visiting:

www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/courses/safeguarding/safeguarding-in-sport/

Backed by sporting figures such as Gary Lineker, rugby league giant Kevin Sinfield, former England and British Lions great Brian Moore, Olympic medalist Marilyn Okoro and Ryder Cup golfer Ian Poulter, the course provides sports coaches, parents and volunteers with the tools to be able to confidently identify and prevent abusive behaviours in grassroots sports, as well as understanding and implementing the recommended safeguarding procedures.

Paul Stewart said: “I am delighted that, by working with High Speed Training, I have been able to produce a survivor-led safeguarding course that I absolutely believe can make a difference.

“The support we have received has been incredible and I will be forever grateful to the people and organisations involved. It is an emotional subject, both for me and for others who have been affected. I am sure the course will have a lasting impact on those who take it.

“Everyone involved in all sports and physical activity settings with children and young people should have an awareness of these issues. We all know the benefits of playing sports for young people, and making sure that our children are safe whilst enjoying sports has to be the number one priority.

“Now the course is free to grassroots clubs, it is my hope that all adults will take the course and share what they have learned.”

Alexandra Richards, Head of Safeguarding at the English Football League, said: ‘The EFL are delighted to support this Safeguarding in Sport course and it is great to see the free initiative being made available to other organisations.

“We made the training available to all of our 72 member Clubs because it is unique in the fact that it is survivor-led and covers all the essentials needed for any role on the basics of safeguarding.

“The work Paul is doing with High Speed Training to ensure all children are safe at their clubs is outstanding and we will continue to support the wonderful work they are doing.”

Tajean Hutton, Grassroots Manager at Kick It Out says: “This is a great course, which we are proud to support at Kick It Out.

“We hear of several abuse related cases in grassroots sport every year, which is why courses like this are important to help educate those working at clubs, so they can better support young people and participants.

“The more we can do to identify and prevent abuse at a grassroots level, the more inclusive and inviting sport will become.”

In research carried out in September 2021, High Speed Training found that a third (32%) of parents are unsure whether their child’s sports coaches have undertaken safeguarding training.

The study, which was commissioned by the leading online training provider, also revealed that concerningly one in ten (10%) parents stated that they’re unsure whether they’d be confident in identifying the signs of abuse, be that physical, sexual, or emotional, in a child, whilst more than a quarter of parents haven’t discussed safeguarding issues with their children.

The fact that in 2021, 91% of children aged 5-16 particapte in some form of sport highlights the need for this training.²

Further research by the NSPCC³ also highlighted the lack of parental knowledge when it comes to safeguarding in sports, with 20% of parents whose children attend sports and leisure clubs admitting that they wouldn’t know who to speak to if they had any worries about a child’s welfare at the club.

Grassroots clubs can sign up to the course here:

https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/courses/safeguarding/safeguarding-in-sport/

One in six women in Scotland are subjected to constant verbal abuse by a partner

● More than a third of women (35%) have changed an aspect of themselves because of negative comments made by an intimate partner, increasing to 39% for 25-34 year olds

● Over a third (36%) of women have insecurities about their self-worth based on negative comments made by a partner

● 81% believe more needs to be done to educate young men on their beliefs and attitudes towards women

● Avon launches campaign to speak out against verbal abuse with resources, training and support for customers, Representatives and associates

● In its 135^th year, Avon donates $1.35 million to NGOs around the world to support women who have experienced abuse

New research from beauty company Avon and the NO MORE Foundation reveals that one in five women are consistently subjected to verbal abuse by an intimate partner.

The research, which surveyed over 8,300 women in eight countries, including the UK, Poland and the Philippines, also found that nearly two in five respondents aged 25-34 are experiencing potential signs of verbal abuse within their relationship – the highest amongst the age groups. As a result, over a third (36%) of women around the world have insecurities about their self-worth based on negative comments made by partners.

Commissioned in support of the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Avon and NO MORE are launching a campaign to help everyone recognise verbal abuse and its role in coercive control, domestic violence or intimate partner violence.

In the UK, when asked about seeking support for verbal abuse issues, one in 10 (11%) women reported that they did not know where to turn, and a further one in six (17%) were unable to take action due to having a controlling partner or being too scared of the consequences.

These barriers to help-seeking behaviours result in many survivors becoming trapped in abusive relationships.

Common comments

Nearly half (47%) of women have experienced negative comments from an intimate partner about their general appearance, with one in five (19%) facing this within the last month.

Other negative comments reported were about women’s intelligence (43%), job or career (44%), weight (50%) and clothing (50%).

This is most prevalent in those aged 25-34 with nearly a quarter (24%) being subjected to negative remarks about their weight within the last month, compared to 10% of those aged 55+.

Over half of women say an intimate partner has made criticisms towards their friends or family (55%), with nearly a quarter (23%) experiencing this within the last month; this is a common tactic used by abusers to manipulate their victims to alienate them from loved ones.

NO MORE Foundation’s Global Executive Director Pamela Zaballa said: “Verbal abuse is a serious, prevalent issue that takes a huge and often long-lasting toll on the self-esteem and confidence of those who experience it. It also can be a precursor and escalate to physical violence.

“Therefore, it is critical to increase awareness and ensure that verbal abuse is not overlooked, trivialised nor tolerated. We’re proud to partner with Avon to promote an online portal providing crucial information and tools to learn to recognise the signs of verbal abuse, find help if needed, and become inspired by courageous survivors’ stories.”

From Silence to Speaking Out

Of those subjected to signs of verbal abuse, 16% sought support, with 30% of these women going to a family member and 26% reaching out to a friend.

Despite a relatively small number in this survey, it is interesting that some respondents said they had sought support from the outside sources such as beauty therapists or hairdressers (2%) and their Avon Representatives (2%).

In a controlling relationship, where the abuser has isolated the victim from friends and family, it may be the case that these groups can provide an important lifeline.

With a network of relationships within their communities and peer to peer support available, Avon is offering training to its five million Representatives worldwide. In the UK, Women’s Aid and Avon are piloting a specialist training programme in Bristol for Representatives, offering on-the-ground, community support for those facing abuse in any form.

Training is also being offered to a range of GBV Ambassadors, offering support to associates who may be experiencing domestic abuse through Avon’s global GBV Protocol.

Not only a “Women’s Issue”

There is a strong feeling amongst women around the world that more needs to be done to educate young men on their beliefs and attitudes towards women (81%), with over three quarters believing there are deep-rooted issues within society which need to be addressed in terms of how men treat women.

Breaking the silence around gender-based violence, Avon and NO MORE have launched an online portal to provide people with crucial information about the signs of verbal abuse, what to do if someone you know is in an abusive relationship and where to go for help, including a collection of inspiring stories from survivors.

To support women who have experienced abuse, Avon is also donating $1.35 million in grants to NGOs around the world to fund support projects for life after abuse, in its 135^th anniversary year.

In the UK, funding will support charities such as Women’s Aid and their Live Chat service which gives survivors a discreet and safe way to chat to an expert, as well as the National Domestic Abuse Helpline and Live Chat, ran by Refuge.

In addition, the beauty brand and charity are encouraging people to sign a pledge to end verbal abuse. This can be signed by saying ‘Alexa, open the NO MORE skill’ to an Alexa device or online via the Avon Worldwide website.

Angela Cretu, Avon CEO comments: “Our research highlights how crucial it is that we continue to stimulate conversation about all forms of gender-based abuse, be that verbal, emotional or physical.

“Over the last 15 years Avon has made it our mission to end violence against women and break down the wall of silence.

“With five million Representatives around the world, all with their own unique networks, we are committed to training in recognising the signs, having safe conversations, and signposting to local NGO support.

“We have also introduced a GBV Protocol and Ambassadors to support every associate who may be experiencing domestic abuse, for example offering them access to leave or facilitating conversations with managers.

“This 16 Days of Activism we are calling for people unsure of what verbal abuse is, to get to know the signs; for victims feeling isolated, to know they are not alone; and for those experiencing abuse, to seek necessary help.

This is why this year, on its 135^th year of championing women, Avon will donate $1.35 million to NGOs around the world to help more women overcome abuse and help change lives.”

For more information and if you need support, visit:

www.avonworldwide.com/supporting-women

to access the NO MORE directory.

Scottish shopworkers speak out about violence, threats and abuse

Usdaw urges retail staff not to suffer in silence

To highlight the annual Respect for Shopworkers week, taking place from 15 – 21 November, retail trade union Usdaw has launched shocking statistics from their annual UK-wide survey.

Interim results from nearly 3,500 retail staff show that in the last twelve months:

89% have experienced verbal abuse,
64% were threatened by a customer,
11% were assaulted.
46% said they were not confident that reporting abuse, threats and violence will make a difference.
7% of those who had been assaulted did not report the incident.

Scottish voices from the frontline: These are some of the comments Scottish shopworkers shared when responding to Usdaw’s survey:

Central Scotland: “Abusive because they are having to wait in a queue or at self-scan to get alcohol or security tags taken off.”- “Have been threatened by violence once I finish work, will wait on me outside and kick my head in.”

Glasgow: “Had a bottle held over my head for my till. Been called a rat and been warned to watch myself walking home at night.” – “Customer tried to punch me, had threats of physical violence and called several demeaning names by customers.”

Highlands and Islands: “Social distancing and mask wearing have resulted in confrontations that have got particularly aggressive.”- “I have had someone throw their shopping at me when I have asked to stay 2m away.”

Lothian: “Lack of respect for requesting social distancing.” – “Multiple times I’ve had stuff thrown at me and once was kicked into a machine.” – “People insulting me or raising their voices when asked to follow basic covid regulations.”

Mid-Scotland and Fife: “We have been verbally abused regarding the safe system in place with regards to reopening our cafe.” – “Mainly shoplifters, threatening behaviour and verbal abuse.”

North East Scotland: “Mainly verbal aggressive abuse from customers. Rudeness, insults and shouting.” – “Customers argue when you explain the licensing regulations.”

South Scotland: “Sworn at, spat at, kicked at, punched at, eggs thrown at me.”- “Customer would not social distance, I got an absolute mouthful, said he knew better as he was a doctor.”

West Scotland: “Staff being grabbed by customers, threatened with knives, racially abused and received degrading comments calling us stupid little girls, worthless, and idiots.” – “Customers really think they can say whatever they want to us.”

Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis says: “It is heart-breaking to hear these testimonies from Scottish shopworkers who deserve far more respect than they receive. Our latest survey results clearly show the scale of the appalling violence, threats and abuse faced by shopworkers.

“It is shocking that 9 in 10 of our members working in retail are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. So it is extremely worrying that over half are not confident that reporting these issues will make any difference and 7% of those assaulted did not report the incident.

“The new protection of workers law in Scotland is welcome and we continue to campaign for the UK Government to follow MSPs’ lead by extending similar protections to retail staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Retail staff across the UK have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.

“It is also clear that the new law needs to be enforced right across Scotland with the police and judiciary prioritising retail crime. Usdaw is urging retail workers across Scotland and employers to help make that happen by recording incidents and reporting them to the police. Our message is ‘report it to sort it’.”

Backing for staff facing abuse

Abuse directed at retail and bar staff who ask customers to comply with the law and wear face coverings will not be tolerated, Justice Secretary Keith Brown said yesterday.

It continues to be a legal requirement to wear face coverings in places such as shops and pubs and on public transport unless exempt – and Mr Brown said any form of abuse, threats or violence faced by workers as a result of simply doing their job is “completely unacceptable”.

It comes as new powers came into force in Scotland last month, making assaulting, threating or abusing certain staff a new standalone offence. Previously such conduct would be dealt with under more general offences.

Face coverings are a hugely important mitigation in the fight against COVID-19 as they create a physical barrier that helps stop the virus spreading from an infected person, while providing a degree of protection to the wearer against exposure to the virus.

Mr Brown urged people to follow the rules and treat staff with respect as Scotland continued to face high infection levels.

He said: “I would like to thank the vast majority of people who continue to wear face coverings and urge people to please follow the rules and guidelines still in place. It is still a requirement to wear face coverings in indoor public places, such as shops, public transport and when entering and moving about in hospitality settings.

“Everyone who can should wear a face covering because it is a simple and vital measure we can take to protect others and stem the spread of this deadly virus.

“Retail workers and those working in hospitality play a vital role serving our communities which has been clearly demonstrated throughout the pandemic and it’s extremely important they know they have the protection of the law when carrying out their duties.

“Any form of abuse, threats or violence faced by such workers as a result of simply doing their job is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“Parliament recently introduced a standalone law with penalties of up to 12 months in prison and fines up to £10,000 for this type of behaviour and staff serving communities across Scotland can be assured the police and prosecution services stand ready to respond to any instances as necessary.”

DCC Malcolm Graham of Police Scotland said: “Everyone has the right to go to their work without being threatened or assaulted.

“Retail workers now have added protection in law and the police will act on reports we receive about this kind of unacceptable behaviour.

“I would also continue to encourage people to follow the regulations and guidance that remain in place to help stop the spread of coronavirus.”

Solicitor General for Scotland Ruth Charteris QC said: “People in any walk of life should expect to go about their business without the fear of threats or abuse.

“This is true of shop workers who are protected in law and deserve our thanks and appreciation for the work they have done throughout the pandemic.”

By law, you must wear a face covering in certain indoor public places, including public transport, in Scotland unless an exemption applies.

See the complete list of settings where we all have to wear face coverings.

Usdaw welcomes today’s new protection of workers law

Scottish shopworkers speak out about violence, threats and abuse

Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed a new law to protect Scottish shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse coming into force today, 24 August 2021. The union is urging shopworkers to report incidents to ensure the legislation is able to have an effect on ever increasing incidents.

The ground-breaking legislation was supported by MSPs after Usdaw’s long-running campaign led to the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill, which was successfully steered through the Scottish Parliament by Daniel Johnson MSP (Labour, Edinburgh Southern).

Usdaw has launched a Freedom from Fear summer campaign week from 22-29 August, with shocking statistics from their annual survey. Preliminary results from nearly 2,000 retail staff across the UK show that in the last twelve months:

92% have experienced verbal abuse,
70% were threatened by a customer,
14% were assaulted.
One in five victims have never reported an incident to their employer, including 5% who had been assaulted.

Scottish voices from the frontline

These are some of the comments Scottish shopworkers shared when responding to Usdaw’s survey:

North East Scotland: “Mainly verbal aggressive abuse from customers. Rudeness, insults and shouting.” – “Customers argue when you explain the licensing regulations.”

South Scotland: “Sworn at, spat at, kicked at, punched at, eggs thrown at me.”- “Customer would not social distance, I got an absolute mouthful, said he knew better as he was a doctor.”

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “It is heart-breaking to hear these testimonies from Scottish shopworkers who deserve far more respect than they receive.

“Our latest survey results clearly show the scale of the appalling violence, threats and abuse faced by shopworkers and demonstrate why the Scottish Parliament was right to pass a ‘protection of shopworkers’ law.

“It has been a terrible year for our members, with over 90% of shopworkers suffering abuse, more than two-thirds threatened and one in seven assaulted. We are saying loud and clear that enough is enough, abuse should never be part of the job.

“We continue to campaign for the UK Government to follow MSPs’ lead by extending similar protections to retail staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Retail staff across the UK have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”

Tracy Gilbert, Usdaw’s Scottish Regional Secretary, says: “We welcome this ground-breaking legislation to protect shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse coming into force today. We again thank Daniel Johnson MSP and all MSPs for listening to the pleas of our members and giving them the legislative support they so desperately need.

“For this new legislation to have a real impact, we need to make sure staff report incidents of violence, threats or abuse to their manager. We are aware that some retail workers may feel it won’t make a difference, but my message to shopworkers is absolutely clear: report it to sort it.

“We are working with the Scottish Government, police and retailers to promote the new law. We want criminals to understand that assaulting and abusing shopworkers is unacceptable and will land them with a stiffer sentence. Our hope is that this new legislation will result in retail staff getting the respect they deserve.”

New fund to support survivors of gender-based violence

More than 120 projects across Scotland will share £38 million to support survivors of gender-based violence and focus on prevention.

The Delivering Equally Safe Fund (DES) is a new two-year funding programme to support third sector organisations and public bodies contribute to the objectives, priorities, and outcomes of the Equally Safe strategy.

The Fund includes more than £28 million for frontline services which provide direct support to women and girls, prioritising services that maximise their safety and wellbeing.

The two-year fund has also been increased by an additional £1 million per year to support projects which focus on early intervention and preventative measures.

Funding will be distributed to 121 projects, including Respect, which provides helpline services for perpetrators of domestic abuse, Kingdom Abuse Survivors project and Moray Women’s Aid.

Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie said: “Violence against women and girls is appalling and unacceptable which is why we are funding organisations that are tackling the issue head on, including frontline services that support survivors and get to the root of abusive behaviour.

“These organisations are offering new and innovative ways to aid recovery, encourage education, and increase prevention awareness.

“I am also pleased that we have been able to increase our funding by more than £1 million a year more than our original fund to increase our support to these important initiatives.

“I look forward to seeing the results of the important the work that Equally Safe Fund will deliver.”

Melanie Wood, from Moray Women’s Aid said: “We are delighted to receive funding through the Delivering Equally Safe fund. It will allow us to continue to deliver essential services to vulnerable women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse when they most needed it.

“The funding will support the work of our Community Outreach Project and the Children and Young Person’s Service.”