THE chief executive of Scottish Women's Aid has accused a local authority of “pulling the rug out" from under domestic abuse services after cash was cut off from local groups.
North Lanarkshire Council said local women's aid groups didn't provide enough value for money and there were gaps in services for male victims.
The decision has prompted dismay from the groups affected and the local MP and MSP.
Monklands Women’s Aid, Motherwell District Women’s Aid and North Lanarkshire Women’s Aid say they won't have to close but their capacity will be affected by this decision and Scottish Women's Aid says their continued reliance on short-term, precarious funding streams is a threat to the rights and safety of women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.
Dr Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women's Aid, has now issued strong criticism of the move.
She said: “We are appalled at the callous steps North Lanarkshire Council have taken in recent months that have pulled the rug out from under the feet of long-established, trusted Women’s Aid services.
READ MORE: North Lanarkshire Council defunds Women’s Aid groups to better help men
“While Women’s Aid services were busy responding to Covid-19 to continue providing their vital support for women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse in North Lanarkshire, they were met with hostility in unnecessary, competitive tendering processes from North Lanarkshire Council that lacked both transparency and accountability.
“This did not have to happen and the result is that North Lanarkshire is now the only local authority area in Scotland that does not commission Women’s Aid services – a sad reflection of their complete lack of understanding of the complex nature of domestic abuse and an upsetting dismissal of decades of work by grass-roots, local Women’s Aid services who are trusted and respected within their communities.
“Women in Scotland have felt a disproportionate impact of Covid-19, whether in unpaid care work, home schooling, job losses or homelessness. All of those impacts are compounded for women and children living with domestic abuse.
“It is incomprehensible to us that North Lanarkshire Council have taken the decisions they have, in the full knowledge that this will further disadvantage those women and children by disrupting their access to specialist support around domestic abuse.
“We will continue to communicate with elected members about our concerns around the tender process, and we intend to publish those communications in due course.
“Given the severity of the situation, and the direct risk to the rights and protections of women and children experiencing domestic abuse, we are also carefully considering the legal options available to us.”
North Lanarkshire Council said: “Following a review of North Lanarkshire’s domestic abuse support services, approval was given to carry out a tendering exercise to procure a specialist domestic abuse service.
“That exercise was concluded in January 2021 adhering to the normal procurement process and regulations and SACRO was the successful bidder for the contract to provide domestic abuse support services.
“The new service will commence from 1 June 2021 on a four-year contract.
“We will continue to work with local women's aid groups for other services.”
Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline is available 24/7 on 0800 027 1234
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