Scotland's domestic violence ad campaign no help

By Pamela Currie

GLASGOW — Statistics published by Scottish Women's Aid (SWA), the
main organisation providing care and support to women and children fleeing
domestic violence, reveal the extent of the crisis in the provision of
these vital services. In 1996/97, 4000 women and 6000 children were turned
away from refuges which was already full.

Keen for some good publicity, the Labour government recently spent £600,000
on a glossy advertising campaign and £50,000 on a much needed help-line
for victims of domestic violence. Following the campaign, the number of
women and children seeking help rose by 30%.

But while the calls flooded in, there was little that those answering
the phone could offer: the Labour government provided not a penny more
for front-line services.

Nearly 20 years ago, local authorities estimated that Scotland needed
one refuge place for every 7500 people — 700 places. There are now less
than half of that number.

In the same week that the SWA's information were published, government
funding was axed from the Glasgow Women's Safety Centre. The centre assisted
400 abused women a year, and would have cost just £85,000 to keep
open.

From GLW issue 352