#ForThemAll Vigil

by womensaidscot17 | Nov 6, 2024

Scottish Women’s Aid to Hold Online Vigil in Memory of Women and Children Who Have Died as a Result of Domestic Abuse.

Below you will find information about an opportunity to participate in SWA’s online vigil in memory of deaths from domestic abuse in Scotland – 5th December 2025

As part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, beginning on November 25th, Scottish Women’s Aid will be hosting its annual #ForThemAll online vigil, and we would be honoured to have your participation.

Now in its fourth year, our #ForThemAll vigil continues following the strong support we received in 2024. This event is held to honour the memory of women and children killed by abusive men, as well as women who lost their lives to suicide or other trauma stemming from their experiences of abuse.

The #ForThemAll vigil was created by Scottish Women’s Aid’s Survivor Reference Group, a group of survivors from Scotland who identified the need for a safe, dedicated space to remember those lost due to domestic abuse. The group plays a crucial role in shaping our ongoing work in policy, practice, and advocacy.

A member of the Scottish Women’s Aid Survivor Reference Group shares her thoughts on the vigil – “It is a privilege to be part of the vigil and honour the women who have died from domestic abuse homicide and suicide. We won’t forget them and we will continue to campaign for better justice, safety and support for women and children impacted by domestic abuse and control.”

We hope you can join us in remembering all the women and children who have died because of domestic abuse and stand together against gender-based violence.

How to participate

The vigil will be held online, across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook on Friday 5 December at 7pm. We are asking our supporters to get involved on their own social media channels, either by lighting a candle and posting a photo with the hashtag #ForThemAll, or by using the vigil graphic provided below for use on the night. If you wish provide your personal reflections in your post. See below some example post content if you need it. Please tag @scotwomensaid in your posts.

A member of the Scottish Women’s Aid Survivor Reference Group shares her thoughts on the vigil – “It is a privilege to be part of the vigil and honour the women who have died from domestic abuse homicide and suicide. We won’t forget them and we will continue to campaign for better justice, safety and support for women and children impacted by domestic abuse and control.”

We hope you can join us in remembering all the women and children who have died because of domestic abuse and stand together against gender-based violence.

How to participate

Help us promote the vigil

We want to ensure that as many people as possible participate in this important night of remembrance. To help us promote the vigil before December 5, download the below graphic and share across your social media profiles.

Here’s an example post if you need it:

I will be joining the upcoming #ForThemAll online vigil with @scotwomensaid in memory of all the women & children who have died because of domestic abuse. See details below for how you can also participate in this night of remembrance and reflection during #16Days.

Support us on the night

To participate in the vigil on 5 December at 7pm – you can either post your own photograph of a lit candle or use the below #ForThemAll graphic.

Here’s an example post if you need it:

Tonight, I’m joining @scotwomensaid in remembering all the women & children who have died because of domestic abuse. During #16Days and beyond, we must reflect on what more can be done to tackle domestic abuse in all its forms and prevent further needless deaths. #ForThemAll

You can add the following information to help direct those seeking help – Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline is available 24/7. Call free on 0800 027 1234 or email and web chat at www.sdafmh.org.uk. You can also text or WhatsApp on 07401288595.

#HerFreedomScotland

by womensaidscot17 | Jun 24, 2024

Every year over 60,000 domestic abuse cases are recorded by police across Scotland. This is just the tip of the iceberg and signals a nationwide tragedy that demands attention.

Participate in #HerFreedomScotland and help us build a groundswell of voices calling for improved responses to domestic abuse.

#HerFreedomScotland is all about getting creative and sharing your thoughts and experiences about what freedom from domestic abuse looks like on your social media. Let’s create a vision together of a Scotland with no domestic abuse, where women, young people, and children enjoy all their human rights and have equal opportunity to explore all their ambitions and aspirations. Here’s how you can be part of the campaign:

Step 1: Think of what freedom from domestic abuse looks like to you. You might have experienced it personally, know someone who has, or feel strongly about the cause.

Step 2: Now the creative stuff – our symbol for this campaign is a free woman’s shoes. Think about these shoes in the place that represents this freedom. It could be a home, a park, a mountain top, a peaceful room, a workplace, or participating in a hobby – somewhere where there was fear but there is fear no longer.

Step 3: Create whatever you like that’s visual – artwork, a photograph, an illustration, a textile, a sculpture, an animation, of the woman’s shoes in this place of freedom. If you wish, add children’s shoes too to represent their freedom. Your visual does not need to be perfect. It is a communication of experience and belief and that’s the most important thing! You can also include the #HerFreedomScotland logo as a stamp on your visual by using Canva or similar. This is optional. See the downloads below.

Step 4: The campaign properly kicks off on Women’s Equality Day (Monday 26 August 2024) and runs for a month till Thursday 26 September 2024. Post anytime during this period using the hashtag #HerFreedomScotland and tag us if you wish! Describe in your post why you’ve chosen your subject matter and the importance of supporting Scottish Women’s Aid in the fight for improved responses to domestic abuse. Encourage others to follow Scottish Women’s Aid to join the campaign and the movement. See some content template examples below to help with your posting. We will be sharing examples via our socials for inspiration during the campaign.

The campaign starts on Women’s Equality Day (Monday 26 August 2024) and will run for a month till Thursday 26 September 2024. You can post any time during that month and make sure you use the hashtag #HerFreedomScotland. Encourage others to participate in the campaign and/or share your post.

Feel free to copy any of the below post template examples to create your post content if you’re a bit stuck for words.

Example 1:

I’m participating in the #HerFreedomScotand campaign by posting a creative depiction of a pair of women’s shoes in a space that symbolises what freedom from domestic abuse looks like to me. My image depicts the freedom to XXX. Domestic abuse is a pervasive and tragic issue across Scotland and needs attention. Participate in #HerFreedomScotland and help Scottish Women’s Aid build a groundswell of voices calling for improved responses to domestic abuse. See how to participate here https://bit.ly/HerFreedomScot

Example 2:

I’m supporting Scottish Women’s Aid’s #HerFreedomScotland campaign which asks the people of Scotland to post an image of a pair of women’s shoes in a space that symbolises what freedom from domestic abuse looks like. My image depicts the freedom to XXX. Support Scottish Women’s Aid to fight for freedom from domestic abuse for the women and children of Scotland. Join in the campaign and follow Scottish Women’s Aid. See how to participate here https://bit.ly/HerFreedomScot

Example 3 (X/Twitter):

Click on the images below to download the #HerFreedomScotland logo for use with your chosen image by using Canva or similar. This is not mandatory.

Scottish Women’s Aid is leading the #HerFreedomScotland campaign and has been fighting for freedom from domestic abuse for the women and children of Scotland for decades. We challenge misogyny and patriarchy in Scottish institutions. In doing so we work to dismantle the drivers of women and children’s inequality that undermine their capacity to disentangle themselves from their abusers.

Want to help propel our work fighting for improved responses to women and children affected by domestic abuse? Donate today

Hidden in plain sight – domestic abuse and coercive control

by womensaidscot17 | Apr 18, 2019

In April 2019 the new long-awaited and ground-breaking Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 came into force. This law has the power and the potential to transform Scotland. Coercive control is a form of psychological and emotional abuse that women and children have told us for over 40 years is the most traumatic. This is now a crime in Scotland.

Hidden in Plain Sight was created using genuine experiences and testimonies of survivors.

Click on the images below to download printable posters.

Coercive Control and the Law

This training is delivered in partnership with the local Women’s Aid groups. It is designed to give participants an understanding of the gendered nature of domestic abuse and coercive control, with a focus on the new ground breaking Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 and what that means for practice.

Please download the leaflet for more information about the training and how to access it.

Image Based Abuse

by womensaidscot17 | Sep 11, 2017

So called ‘revenge porn’ is not about revenge, and it’s not about porn. It’s about power, control and humiliation. Sharing, or threatening to share intimate pictures or videos of someone without their consent causes devastating harm to victims.

We began campaigning on image based abuse in 2013, when very few people were aware of the scale of the problem. Our research on this showed that most victims of this crime suffered long term anxiety, and some mentioned feelings of self-harm and suicide because their intimate images were shared without their consent. The fear and anxiety it creates can creep into every corner of a victim’s life and relationships.

From July 2017, a new law in Scotland means that anyone who shares or threatens to share someone else’s intimate images or videos without their consent could face up to five years in prison. Those who choose to take a path of abusive behaviour may soon face consequences.

Visit notyourstoshare.scot to find out more.

Scrap the Rape Clause & Family Cap

by womensaidscot17 | Sep 11, 2017

Recently the UK Government brought out a policy that means that Child Tax Credits are only available for the first and second child. Third or subsequent children don’t get a look in except in the case of a certain few exceptions. One of these exceptions: if the child is a result of rape.

The Department of Work and Pensions claim that this rape exemption or ‘rape clause’ will only be carried out in the most ‘compassionate’ way, but the question is, can forcing a woman to disclose rape to receive welfare ever really be compassionate? For us the answer is a flat out no.

The DWP wanted us to take part. They wanted local women’s aid and rape crisis workers to sit down with women, do some maths to work out whether the date of conception matched the date of the rape and tick a box to say as much. The idea was that we’d then tell them whether or not a woman’s experience could be trusted enough to give her £7.62 a day; enough money to put food on the table, to put towards the electricity bill, maybe to buy a pair of child’s school shoes.

Alongside Rape Crisis Scotland we made the decision that we would not collude in the UK Government’s policy by acting as third party referrers. Local Women’s Aid groups are independent charities – they had to make the tough decision about whether or not to work with the DWP on this issue – but as far as we know there are still no confirmed third party referrers in Scotland.

The thing is, it isn’t just the rape clause – as horrific as that is – that is the problem here. We strongly believe that the whole Family Cap has to go. Any policy that actively and knowingly pushes women and children into poverty has no place in our society, and it is not something that we can support.

In June the High Court ruled that the Tory welfare cap is unlawful and illegally discriminates against lone parents with young children. We’d hoped this decision in itself would pressure the Government to repeal the policy, but even though the policy was described as “real misery […] being caused to no good purpose”, the UK Government plan to appeal the ruling.

In May we wrote to Damien Hinds at the UK Government with 10 urgent questions about the implementation of the Rape Clause; we’ve still not heard back.

In May we received overwhelming support in standing against and refusing to collude with the rape clause. Our opposition and resistance to this policy is not going anywhere, nor – we suspect – is that of the Scottish public, poverty organisations, children’s organisations and our sister organisations working to end violence against women and children. Watch this space.

Photography: Jamie Donoghue

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