The Scottish Conservatives have put forth a plan to address domestic abuse after finding out that victims often have to wait a long time for stable housing after leaving a violent situation.
The party has released a new policy paper along with information showing that domestic abuse victims wait for hundreds of days for permanent housing.
An inquiry by Pam Gosal, MSP, discovered that victims are stuck in temporary housing for a long time on average across most Scottish areas. In Edinburgh Council, victims wait the longest, on average, around 621 days.
In response, Ms. Gosal has introduced a policy paper called “United Against Violence,” aiming to end the problem of abuse survivors being stuck in temporary housing. The paper suggests creating guidelines to ensure that housing is prioritized for abuse survivors, giving them the confidence to leave violent situations.
Domestic Violence Abuse Victim (Credits: statesattorney.org)
The paper presents 12 recommendations for the Scottish Government to address domestic abuse and offer better support to victims. Some suggestions include establishing a Violence Against Women Unit in Police Scotland, treating violence against women as a national threat, providing dedicated women’s officers in every local authority, and changing laws to address coercive behavior as seriously as physical violence.
Additionally, it suggests expanding financial support for victims who want to leave abusive situations. Ms. Gosal is also introducing a Domestic Abuse (Prevention) Bill in Holyrood, which gained support from over 40 MSPs across different parties.
She emphasizes the need to end the situation where abuse victims are stuck in temporary housing for long periods. She believes that her plan can help victims leave violent situations safely and move forward with their lives.
Ms Pam Gosal (Credits: Holyrood)
Her proposals aim to give police more authority to address abuse, establish units targeting offenders, and assign additional female officers as contacts for survivors.
They also seek to strengthen the justice system to prevent offenders from avoiding prosecution and implement programs to encourage more victims to come forward.
The goal is to make Scotland a leader in tackling domestic abuse. Ms. Gosal hopes the SNP Government will consider these proposals to provide support for abuse victims to leave violent situations.
