ScotGov is inviting responses:
consult.gov.scot/violence-against-women-team/violence-against-women-and-girls-services/
In order to:
"This call for evidence is being issued to the public to help gather evidence on a number of key topics including:
The types of services that should be available for women, children and young people experiencing any form of violence against women and girls
Who should provide these services
Whether access to services for those experiencing violence against women and girls should be a right in law
How barriers to services can be removed
How the quality of services can be ensured across Scotland
Whether services and providers should be based on local need
Action that should be taken to address unmet need and regional disparities
How to include those who have experienced violence against woman and girls in the co-design/evaluation of services
The optimum length of funding periods to ensure sustainability of services
Requirements around funding application processes
Action that should be taken to reduce/mitigate the impacts of violence against women and girls in Scotland"
It all sounds excellent, and laudable of ScotGov to be doing this, and in general to be supported. However, in the first footnote to the consultation paper those words we have come to expect from ScotGov "Women means anyone who defines themselves as a woman" <sigh>