£30,000 to stop domestic abuse
A project to protect women and children in West Lothian from violence and domestic abuse has been awarded £30,000 to continue its work.
The council-backed project, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault West Lothian, has received the cash from the Scottish Government.
It aims to help women and children experiencing, or at risk of, violence and domestic abuse.
The additional investment will help respond to an increase in demand from victims of abuse for support services during the coronavirus pandemic.
More staff, increased hours for centres and helplines, improvements to IT and new digital resources and training will all allow services to be up-scaled so that more people can quickly and easily access help.
Updated guidance, developed in partnership with COSLA, is also already being used by local authorities to keep women and children safe.
Executive councillor for Social Policy Angela Doran said: “We absolutely welcome this additional funding which will assist our Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault West Lothian team (DASAT) help local women and children.
“The demand for local services has increased throughout the pandemic which is shocking.
“It is vitally important that people affected by violence seek help and support as soon as possible.
West Lothian has very good services and can assist families when they need help at the most vital of times.
“DASAT has a very challenging role but do a wonderful job helping to protect some very vulnerable people in West Lothian.”
Equalities Minister, Christina McKelvie, welcomed the cash, saying she hopes it will help cope with increased demand due to lockdown.
She continued: “The greater risks to women and children of domestic abuse with referrals to frontline services increasing during the pandemic is a major concern.
“It is atrocious that this is the case but we are focused on ensuring that frontline services can meet the increased demand for support.
“This extra funding will help to ensure these vital services are still able to provide support to people across the country, and the scale and innovation of these projects will provide a lifeline to many women and families.
“Any kind of violence is unacceptable and the safety and wellbeing needs of women and children need to be protected - that is even more important during a pandemic.
“Police Scotland continue to prioritise domestic abuse cases so I would also encourage anyone suffering violence and domestic abuse not to hesitate to get the support they need.”
To report Domestic Violence please call West Lothian Domestic and Sexual Assault Team (DASAT) on 01506 281055.
Alternatively email dasat@westlothian.gov.uk for confidential and friendly support.
They provide tailored support for adults and children survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
The demand for local services has increased in the pandemic