Recognising the Importance of Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls

That the Parliament believes that violence against women and girls is a fundamental violation of human rights and encompasses a range of behaviours, including domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, forced marriage and female genital mutilation; notes concerns regarding reported evidence that violence against women and girls remains prevalent across Scotland and that, over the last decade, recorded sexual crimes and domestic abuse incidents have increased; is concerned that women and girls are disproportionately affected by such violence and abuse, and that the majority of victims know the perpetrator; considers that violence against women and girls is rooted in gender inequality and that effective primary prevention requires long-term action to address harmful attitudes, behaviours and structures that enable such abuse to occur; believes that promoting gender equality, challenging harmful gender stereotypes and encouraging respectful relationships can contribute to preventing violence before it occurs; commends the work of Zero Tolerance, the Scottish charity established in 1992 to end men’s violence against women by tackling its root cause, namely gender inequality, and recognises the impact of its pioneering public awareness campaigns in bringing the issue of violence against women into public consciousness and promoting the message that such violence is never acceptable.