Funding boost to tackle gender-based violence

Delivering Equally Safe Fund increased

More than 100 organisations across Scotland working to tackle violence against women and girls will share in a funding uplift of £2.4 million.

The funding boost will bring the total Scottish Government investment in Delivering Equally Safe, which funds projects to prevent violence and support survivors, up to £21.6 million for the year ahead subject to the 2025-26 Budget being approved.

Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart announced the funding increase on a visit to SAY Women – a Glasgow charity offering safe accommodation and emotional support for young survivors of sexual abuse who are facing homelessness.

Ms Stewart said: “Grassroots organisations across Scotland are at the heart of tackling violence against women and girls. Their work is fundamental to creating a country free from gender-based abuse.

“This funding boost will support these organisations, will help prevent abuse occurring and ensure that women and girls who have experienced violence can continue to access the support they deserve.”

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SAY Women CEO Pam Hunter said: “SAY Women is delighted to receive the additional funds. This will go towards increasing our investment into projects for the young women within our services.

“In the face of the rising cost of living, increase in N.I contributions and inflation, the organisation made the challenging executive decision to limit the variety of activities on offer to those in our care so that we may allow the staff to have a fair living wage.

“This additional funding will reinstate many of the services that were temporarily paused so that SAY Women may continue to do the good work supporting young women affected by sexual violence and homelessness.”

The Delivering Equally Safe Fund supports organisations across Scotland in their work to tackle violence against women and girls, and has done since 2021.

The organisations funded through Delivering Equally Safe are as follows:

Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeen Cyrenians Ltd
Aberlour Child Care Trust
Action for Children
Amina – the Muslim Women’s Resource Centre
Angus Women’s Aid
Argyll & Bute Rape Crisis
Argyll & Bute Violence against Women and Girls Partnership
Argyll & Bute Women’s Aid SCIO
ASSIST, Glasgow City Council
Barnardo’s Tayside
Barnardo’s Falkirk
Border Women’s Aid Ltd
British Red Cross Society
Caithness & Sutherland Women’s Aid
CEA Committed To Ending Abuse
Central Advocacy Partners
Children 1st
Clackmannanshire Women’s Aid
Close the Gap (SCIO)
Deaf Links
Dumbarton District Women’s Aid
Dumfries & Galloway Council
Dumfries & Galloway Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Support Centre
Dumfriesshire & Stewartry Women’s Aid
Dundee City Council
Dundee International Women’s Centre
Dundee Women’s Aid
East Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership
East Ayrshire Women’s Aid
East Dunbartonshire Association For Mental Health
East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid SCIO
East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee
Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre
Edinburgh Women’s Aid Ltd
Edinburgh Women’s Aid Ltd
EmilyTest
Engender
FENIKS Counselling, Personal Development & Support Service Ltd
Fife Council
Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre
Fife Women’s Aid
Forth Valley Rape Crisis Centre
GEMAP Scotland Ltd
Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis
Glasgow Women’s Aid
Grampian Women’s Aid
Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid Limited
INVERCLYDE WOMEN’S AID SCIO
Inverness Women’s Aid
JustRight Scotland SCIO
Kenyan Women in Scotland Association (CIC)
Kibble Education and Care Centre
Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project
Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Centre
LGBT Youth Scotland
Liber8 (Lanarkshire) Ltd
Lochaber Women’s Aid
Monklands Women’s Aid
Moray Rape Crisis
Moray Women’s Aid
Motherwell & District Women’s Aid
Multi-Cultural Family Base
North Ayrshire Women’s Aid
North Lanarkshire Council
Cumbernauld & District Women’s Aid SCIO
Orkney Rape & Sexual Assault Service (ORSAS) SCIO
Perth & Kinross Council
Perthshire Women’s Aid
Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Perth & Kinross
Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland
Rape Crisis Grampian
Rape Crisis Scotland
Renfrewshire Council
Renfrewshire Council, Children’s Services, Women and Children First
Renfrewshire Women’s Aid SCIO
Respect
Ross-Shire Women’s Aid
Rowan Alba Ltd
Sacro
SafeLives
Saheliya
Sandyford – NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
SAY Women
Scottish Borders Council
Scottish Borders Rape Crisis Centre (SBRCC)
Scottish Commission for Learning Disability
Scottish Women’s Aid
Shakti Women’s Aid
Shetland Rape Crisis
Shetland Women’s Aid (SCIO)
South Ayrshire Women’s Aid
South Lanarkshire Council
South West Grid for Learning Trust Ltd
Stirling & District Women’s Aid
The Highland Council
The Improvement Service
The Star Centre
The Venture Trust
West Dunbartonshire Council
Western Isles Rape Crises Centre
Western Isles Women’s Aid SCIO
West Lothian Council
West Lothian Women’s Aid (WLWA)
White Ribbon Scotland
Wigtownshire Women’s Aid
Women’s Aid East and Midlothian Ltd
Women’s Aid Orkney
Women’s Aid South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire
Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee and Angus
Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee and Angus
Women’s Support Project
YWCA Scotland
Zero Tolerance

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.”