Tag: Crime

Holyrood committee to consider age of criminal responsibility

The age a young person can be held responsible for their actions in the eyes of the law is to be examined by Holyrood’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee. Continue reading Holyrood committee to consider age of criminal responsibility

Government moves to tackle gender-based violence on campus

New toolkit to address gender-based violence in universities and colleges

New practical guidance for universities to tackle gender-based violence on campus has been published. Guidance and training for staff, better data collection and well-publicised support information for students are some of the recommendations set out in the toolkit, which has been produced by the University of Strathclyde and funded by the Scottish Government.

The toolkit, which will be adapted for colleges, takes forward the principles set out in the #emilytest campaign set up by Fiona Drouet, in memory of her daughter Emily (above).

An additional £396,000 of Scottish Government funding will support the roll-out and implementation of the toolkit.

Further and Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Universities and colleges have a duty to foster a culture on campus that is clear in its condemnation of gender-based violence and gives staff and students the confidence to report unacceptable behaviour.

“That is why I have made the adoption of the policies and procedures outlined in this toolkit a key feature of my Letter of Guidance to the sector this year. I know universities and colleges are up for the challenge and I am keen to see this commitment translate into real, demonstrable action and change for women living, working and researching on campus.”

Fiona Drouet said: “The launch of the toolkit, along with the Ministerial letter of guidance to the Scottish Funding Council, is a significant turning point with regards to gender-based violence on campus. It is a very important day for all Scottish students.

“This is Emily’s legacy and I hope both staff and students will feel empowered by this resource. Institutions now have the help they need to pass the #emilytest and I believe that had this been in place while our daughter was at university it could have saved her life.

“We couldn’t help Emily but the #emilytest can save others – a legacy Emily would be proud of.”

Dr Veena O’Halloran, the University of Strathclyde’s Secretary and Compliance Officer, said: “Universities are well-placed to take a leading role in tackling gender-based violence wherever it may occur, through research, teaching and knowledge exchange. As a socially-progressive University, Strathclyde aims to be at the forefront of this work.

“We are delighted that the Equally Safe in Higher Education toolkit is being made available to universities across the country. We are determined that Scotland has an environment where every student has equal access to help and support, and where university communities – staff, students and alumni –  tackle gender-based violence head-on.”

The Equally Safe in Higher Education Toolkit recommends that each university:

  • develops a strategy and implementation plan to tackle gender-based violence.
  • establishes a Strategic Group to oversee the implementation of the strategy and appoint a named champion or coordinator to report on progress.
  • introduces guidance and training for staff in responding to disclosures of gender-based violence and supporting victims/survivors.
  • develops a secure data collection system to record incidences of gender-based violence and undertakes research to ensure the extent and nature of the issue on campus is fully understood.
  • ensures well-publicised points of contact for students reporting gender-based violence
  • introduces policies for staff and students, including a clearly established code of conduct, disciplinary procedures and sanctions for perpetrators of gender-based violence

The University of Strathclyde received over £600,000 of funding over two years from the Violence Against Women and Girls Justice Budget to pilot a 2 year project to develop an Equally Safe in Higher Education Toolkit for preventing gender-based violence within higher education institutions (£292,729 in 2016-17, and £311,231 in 2017-18).

The Toolkit was developed at University of Strathclyde in close collaboration with a range of external partners and stakeholders including, Police Scotland, NUS Scotland, Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre, ASSIST Glasgow, Zero Tolerance Scotland,  Glasgow Violence Against Women Partnership, Scottish Women’s Rights Centre and cottish Women’s Aid.

The Emily Test Petition was set up after Mrs Drouet’s daughter, Emily, a student at the University of Aberdeen, took her own life in March 2016. The campaign calls for increased Scottish Government funding for colleges and universities to support students affected by gender based violence (GBV).

 

 

 

 

SOCLAB set to counter cyber security threats

Industry guests have been given a preview of a new cyber security centre which will allow companies to train staff to combat potentially crippling attacks. The SOCLAB centre at Edinburgh Napier’s Cyber Academy will let workers get to grips with threats like ransomware, which saw NHS systems infected with malicious software last year, in a safe and isolated environment. Continue reading SOCLAB set to counter cyber security threats

Support for bereaved families: funding for new homicide service

A new service led by Victim Support Scotland (VSS) will provide free, practical and emotional support to victims of crime across the country. The charity has been awarded £13.8 million over three years, part of which will provide for a new homicide service giving families of murder victims access to a dedicated case worker and continuous support. Continue reading Support for bereaved families: funding for new homicide service

Scottish Government makes £2.8 million available to tackle domestic abuse

A ground-breaking initiative to combat domestic abuse is to be expanded around the country to help maximise victims’ safety and hold offenders to account for their violence. £2.8 million will be available for local authorities to apply for support to roll out the Caledonian System within their area to enable more perpetrators to address their behaviour.

The Caledonian System is a specialist court-mandated programme working with male perpetrators, which also aims to improve the lives of women and children affected.

The announcement was made by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson while attending training for social workers who work with male offenders and liaise with the women and children’s services for the programme. He said: “Levels of domestic abuse remain at unacceptably high levels in Scotland. We know that the official statistics still do not paint the whole picture, as victims are often too afraid to report abuse. We also know domestic abuse disproportionately affects women, with men as the primary perpetrators.

“Put simply, attitudes need to change. The Caledonian System has been running in parts of Scotland and the evidence indicates that men who completed the programme posed a lower risk to partners, children and others by the end of the programme. Women also reported that they felt safer.

“The funding I am announcing today will further strengthen our push to eradicate this scourge on society. Domestic abuse offenders need to understand the harm they cause and what they can do to change their behaviour.”

Linda Rodgers, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Women’s Aid said: “It is crucial that we have a range of services across Scotland for those affected by domestic abuse and that these services include interventions to support perpetrators to change their behaviour. The Caledonian Programme is a safe and robust perpetrator programme developed in Scotland for the Scottish context.

“I am absolutely delighted that the programme will now be operating and enhancing the safety of women and children across Scotland.”

The Caledonian System is not an alternative to prosecution but is a direct alternative to custody and to other high tariff community disposals given after an accused has been convicted of a domestic abuse related offence.

If at any point the programme is breached by the perpetrator the case is returned to court for consideration of whether a separate sentence should be imposed. It is currently delivered through hubs in Aberdeen City, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Dumfries & Galloway and North Ayrshire Councils.

The overall funding to the local authorities that deliver the Men’s Programme currently is approximately £1.3 million per annum, with approximately £1.1 million distributed to local authorities and SACRO to deliver Women’s and Children’s Services.

An evaluation of the Caledonian System was published in November 2016. Based on the most recent figures, more than 450 men are engaged with the Men’s Programme, with over 1200 having participated since 2011. There have been 1230 women offered access to the Women’s Service in that same timescale, with over 720 currently engaging, and 1040 children known to the Children’s Service.

The safety of partners and their children is an absolute priority for the Caledonian System.  There was a strong belief among women interviewed for the evaluation that the Women’s Service, and the fact that it works together with the Men’s Programme as a system, had both contributed significantly to making them safer.

Evidence indicates that men who completed the programme posed a lower risk to partners, children and others by the end of the programme. There is also evidence that women engaged with the programme feel safer. More information on the Caledonian System is available on the Scottish Government website.