White Ribbon Campaign

Are you a man and a member of a faith community who would like to contribute to ending violence against women? Are you looking for concrete ways to actually do something effective within your faith community and beyond? We have just the opportunity for you.

The Church of Scotland aims to form two men’s multifaith groups (one specifically for men under the age of 25) who share interest and commitment to the aims of the White Ribbon Campaign. These aims are to:

• Endorse and clearly state the vital role of non-perpetrating men in challenging and stopping violence against women

• Identify, create and promote opportunities for non-perpetrating men to be involved in the campaign to Stop Violence Against Women in Scotland

• Increase the capacity of men in Scotland to engage in the campaign to Stop Violence Against Women, through examination and dissemination of best practice from the UK and abroad

For more information about the White Ribbon Scotland Campaign, please visit their website at: http://www.whiteribbonscotland.org.uk/
Our specific goal is to work with these two multifaith groups to create an innovative plan of action within the unique context of faith communities. This is not an awareness raising campaign, but rather a think-tank with the goal of engaged activism that will make a difference in our respective communities.

The first meeting will be organized for early 2012. Please forward this to anyone you think would be interested. We need you to take action.

Almost 5000 incidents of domestic abuse in Scotland in December alone

Domestic violence in Scotland rose during the festive season. In December alone the police’s Violence Reduction Unit logged 4,783 incidents. Although most victims of domestic abuse are women, it can happen to anyone and affects everyone within the family;  women, children and men. Domestic abuse is very costly not only in terms of psychological harm and loss of self esteem, but also in terms of health service costs, police resources, legal costs and productivity due to absence from work. The Kirk has had a long tradition of highlighting social issues that might lead to domestic abuse and I have writen about the victim’s need for legal aid through this blog.


Over the past year, Scotland has invested heavily in combatting homelessness for victims of sexual abuse, and raising awareness of that fact that males can also be victims of domestic abuse. It is therefore somewhat disappointing, given the statistics and the work of the past year, that £7.5 million of direct funding from the Scottish Government to tackle frontline services in domestic abuse, might be scrapped. It is difficult to find the justification for cuts that will affect services that are supporting the most vulnerable within our society. Is this a case of false economy?