Domestic abuse affects 100,000 children and young people in Scotland and one in four women will be abused in a relationship at some point in their lives.
The effects of domestic abuse on children and young people range from poor concentration, low self-esteem and isolation, to refusing to attend school for fear of what will happen to their mother while they are gone.
With regard to the local situation a survey was conducted in 2005 in Lomond Local Health and Care Cooperative by NHS Argyll and Clyde, West Dunbartonshire Domestic Abuse Partnership and Caledonian University. This was the first study to be undertaken in a primary care setting in Scotland, looking at the hidden prevalence of domestic abuse.
Women who were patients in GP surgeries in Dumbarton, Helensburgh and Alexandria were contacted and 893 took part in the study. Key findings were:
- 266 women – almost one third – reported experiencing at least one form of domestic abuse at the hands of a partner or ex-partner at some point in their lives
- 45 per cent of these women reported that the abuse had lasted at least five years
- 30 per cent of those who were abused experienced abuse from a partner or ex-partner while pregnant
- over half (52.4 per cent) had children under 16 living at home
- this represented a total of 514 children whose mothers indicated that they had experienced domestic abuse at some point in their lives
- therefore one third (32.76 per cent) of the children in the general sample had mothers who experienced domestic abuse.
From existing materials, classes were developed and adapted according to how effective they were with young people and in consultation with teachers. At the end of the pilot an independent evaluation was carried out in November 2005 and an education pack was published in March 2006 to deliver domestic abuse prevention work in secondary schools throughout the area.
As a result of the pilot and the successful evaluation, a further two years’ funding was secured from the local community planning partnership to take the work into primary and secondary schools across West Dunbartonshire.
In West Dunbartonshire, domestic abuse is included in the Health Promoting Schools Development Plan. Within the development plan there are five priorities.
| Priority 1 | National framework – Being Well - Doing Well |
| Priority 2 | Hungry for Success |
| Priority 3 | Sexual health and relationships |
| Priority 4 | Positive mental health |
| Priority 5 | Enterprising approaches to health (Determined to Succeed) |
Reduce Abuse is part of Priority 4 – Positive mental health.
