Abuse victims ‘should be the priority’
Councils and housing asso - ciations should prioritise the housing needs of domestic abuse victims over those of the perpetrator, according to a new report.
A review of social landlord practice, co-chaired by the Chartered Institute of Housing(CIH) Scotland and Scottish Women’ s Aid (SWA) and published today, re commends using a “human rights approach to improve housing outcomes for women and children experiencing domestic abuse”.
Statistics show dom estic abuse is the main cause of women’ s homelessness in Scotland and the report makes recommendations to both prevent homelessness and to make leaving an abusive partner easier and safer for women – including ensuring a woman’s right to remain in her own home.
The review, commissioned by the Scottish Government, found that despite the publication last year of good practice guidance for social landlords, only a handful have implemented it or developed a domestic abuse policy.
As a result, the report also calls for councils and housing associations to have such policies in place and for regulatory changes so social landlords can be held to account if they do not safeguard the housing rights of victims of domestic abuse.
Further, it urges the Scottish Government to prioritise the passing of the Domestic Abuse (Protection )( Scotland) Bill before next May's Holyro od elections to ensure social landlords can take immediate steps to remove perpetrators from a tenancy.
Jo Oz ga, policy officer at Scottish Women’s Aid and cochair of the report and review group, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted a ‘shadow pandemic’ of domestic abuse. Lockdown measures have enabled perpetrators to enforce control, and highlighted that, even in normal circumstances, many women and children do not feel safe or secure at home.
"The report recommends a combination of systemic change, legislation and actions to prevent homelessness for victim-survivors of domestic abuse that will make a fundamental difference to improving not only the housing outcomes for women and children in Scotland but also their health and wellbeing.”