Schoolchildren across Perth and Kinross will play a key role in a new blitz on domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
A multi-pronged strategy is being launched by the area’s Violence Against Women Partnership as new figures reveal local police dealt with nearly 1,200 cases of domestic abuse in the last year.
The partnership, a team-up between police, health chiefs, Perth and Kinross Council and several local organisations, has developed a two-year action plan.
The scheme, with emphasis on prevention and protection, will encourage schools to hold their own conferences around issues of equality, diversity and respect.
The partnership also wants to fund a trip for pupils to the Women of the World Festival at London’s Southbank.
A gender-based violence policy for the workplace will also be drawn up, which the partnership hopes will be adopted by businesses across the region.
Group leaders also want to work with Stagecoach and other public transport operators to develop a safe travel policy, reducing risks and increasing safety for female passengers.
In a report which goes before councillors this week, Lex Greig who chairs the partnership said: “Violence against women and girls is a major societal issue which is recognised at local, national and international levels and denies women and girls the most fundamental of human rights: life, liberty, integrity, freedom of movement and personal dignity.
“The parternship seeks to promote understanding of all the causes of all forms of violence against women from both equalities and a human rights perspective.”
He said the two-year plan “recognises the importance of raising awareness of the issues which support and promote gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence at an early point in someone’s life.”
According to the group’s annual report, there were 192 reports of sexual crime in Perth and Kinross in 2016/17.
The area’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre – a member of the partnership – received 125 referrals for support and advocacy.
The majority of cases – 37.5% – involved childhood sexual abuse.
In the same period, 90 children affected by domestic abuse were given support through the lottery-funded Cedar programme – managed by Perthshire Women’s Aid – and 47 women have received specialist counselling.
Members of the housing and communities committee will be asked to give their backing to the partnership’s plan at their meeting on Wednesday.