Council to offer more protection to women who are abused

A policy which offers help to women who are victims of violence or coercive control is to be pioneered by West Lothian Council.

The council’s Executive

has agreed to adopt a

Gender based violence (GBV) strategy for its own

workforce.

And at the same time the council will carry out a consultation on how to ensure women’s safety in the wider community.

Head of corporate services, Julie Whitelaw, told the meeting: “The council is committed to ensuring gender equality in the workplace and preventing violence against women.

By increasing awareness of the signs of gender-based violence and providing a safe and supportive working environment, the council can help to support the welfare of an employee

experiencing gender based

violence.”

The policy focuses on the fact that, whilst men may be affected by abuse or violence, it is women who are disproportionately affected by abuse or violence as a result of their gender.

The guidance encourages managers to support employees to assess their level of risk and devise a personal safety plan in cases

of GBV.

The new policy sits within

an existing framework

designed to help employees.

The Employee Assistance

Programme provides access to confidential counselling.

The policy offers guidance to employees and managers on how to handle the sensitive situation where women may be suffering as

a victim of violnce or sexual

abuse.

It also highlights

indicators of abuse which could alert managers and colleagues through changes in behaviour or productivity at work, although it does stress that each case is unique.

The council is currently consulting on developing a strategy tackling violence against women in wider society, including ways in which it can help in providing safer spaces for women.

The Community Planning

Partnership, a group of 21

bodies including the council the emergency services, NHS, local businesses, and the Third sector has already discussed proposals, as well

as the GBV policy.

Depute council leader,

Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan, who chairs the CPP said: “Work is moving forward at pace on the Safety

of Women & Girls in Public

Places and Spaces.

“Lots of partners are offering to push out the survey through their organisations and it was also agreed that an event

would be held with external

speakers to report back on findings and to agree actions.

“There was also a report

on the Council’s Gender

Based Violence Strategy, which is being developed particularly important given the rise in reported incidents during lockdown.”

Damian Doran-Timson,

Conservative group leader asked about threats made on social media, and how to protect people online. “

Is there more we can do?”

Mrs Whitelaw said that the policy would create a safety plan for a victim and that may include techniques on how to manage communication on social media.

She added that the council has established policies on misuse of social media and communication which became abuse on social media would be a matter for the police.

Council leader Lawrence

Fitzpatrick said: “I think

we’d all welcome this.

“It is a further step to

addressing some of the difficulties which women and girls face and which seem to pervade society and social media.”