Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership’s (HSCP) first strategy for tackling domestic abuse is currently being developed. It will build on our Integration Joint Board’s (IJB) existing commitment to its public protection strategic priority.

Our HSCP’s response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has sharpened the focus on areas of improvement, with domestic abuse emerging as a key priority and risk factor for individuals and families in Glasgow City.

Domestic abuse can be described as any form of physical, verbal, sexual, psychological or financial abuse perpetrated by partners (married, cohabiting, civil partnership or otherwise) or ex-partners. It can include physical, sexual, mental and/or emotional abuse (including coercive and controlling behaviour).

Due to the nature and complexity of domestic abuse, support and service provision falls across many services in our HSCP. Without coordination, it’s difficult to identify and act on every opportunity to prevent and eradicate domestic violence and protect people from domestic abuse. 

To address this, our HSCP is now working to produce the first comprehensive strategy to tackle domestic abuse in Glasgow. Once completed, the Domestic Abuse Strategy will form a commitment from our HSCP to improve our responses to those who are affected by and who experience domestic abuse across the city. It’ll deliver on the outcomes and priorities set out in Scotland’s national strategy to address the prevention and eradication of violence against women and girls – Equally Safe. The strategy will also give light to our intentions to improve the responses to those who cause harm to others through domestic abuse. 

An engagement process for the development of the strategy began in September 2021, involving staff, service users, people with lived experience and key partners across the Glasgow Domestic Abuse system including the third sector, Police and Education.

Over 200 HSCP staff took part in engagement sessions throughout October and November 2021 to inform the design of the strategy. The invitation was extended to all staff representing the whole of the HSCP, and a programme of external engagement activities with service users and other stakeholders was also launched.  

Pat Togher, our HSCP’s Assistant Chief Officer Public Protection and Complex Needs said: “Developing a whole system approach to domestic abuse that captures lived experience and embraces partnership working is key to ensuring the correct shift in culture and practice. The contribution from all in this work has been exceptional and will underpin a strategy that will make a difference in how we work with those who are harmed and those who harm through domestic abuse.”

Inspired by contributions from those we involved in early staff sessions, we decided to extend the participatory approach to the undertaking of the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for the strategy. Several HSCP staff have agreed to volunteer their time, and with the support of leading, equalities-focused organisations, they’ll be supported over the next few months to improve their own understanding and impact in the field of equalities and domestic abuse, and ensure the strategy is informed by a robust EQIA.

We’re extremely grateful to staff, stakeholders and those with lived experience, particularly given engagement has been virtual, and during such a busy and difficult time for many services.  Contributions to date in engagement sessions, and via the EQIA Working Group, have clarified a number of issues we expected to see raised, but have also provided a depth and breadth of insight to the issue of domestic abuse that the team preparing the strategy could never have achieved in isolation.  Engagement and consultation activities will continue in 2022 to shape the new strategy. The first draft for full public consultation will be ready to be published in April.

If you think you are suffering from domestic abuse or feel scared of your partner or if you are worried about someone you know, get in touch with Scotland’s 24-hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline on 0800 027 1234 or visit sdafmh.org.uk for more support.

For information or more detail on the strategy please visit Glasgow City HSCP Domestic Abuse Strategic Plan.