WIREDGOV

Delivering Equally Safe Fund increased.

More than 100 organisations across Scotland working to tackle violence against women and girls will share in a funding uplift of £2.4 million.

The funding boost will bring the total Scottish Government investment in Delivering Equally Safe, which funds projects to prevent violence and support survivors, up to £21.6 million for the year ahead subject to the 2025-26 Budget being approved.

Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart announced the funding increase on a visit to SAY Women – a Glasgow charity offering safe accommodation and emotional support for young survivors of sexual abuse who are facing homelessness.

Ms Stewart yesterday said:

“Grassroots organisations across Scotland are at the heart of tackling violence against women and girls. Their work is fundamental to creating a country free from gender-based abuse.

“This funding boost will support these organisations, will help prevent abuse occurring and ensure that women and girls who have experienced violence can continue to access the support they deserve.”

SAY Women CEO Pam Hunter yesterday said:

“SAY Women is delighted to receive the additional funds. This will go towards increasing our investment into projects for the young women within our services.

“In the face of the rising cost of living, increase in N.I contributions and inflation, the organisation made the challenging executive decision to limit the variety of activities on offer to those in our care so that we may allow the staff to have a fair living wage. This additional funding will reinstate many of the services that were temporarily paused so that SAY Women may continue to do the good work supporting young women affected by sexual violence and homelessness.”

Background

The Delivering Equally Safe Fund supports organisations across Scotland in their work to tackle violence against women and girls, and has done since 2021.

The Delivering Equally Safe fund is the Scottish Government’s funding programme to support third sector organisations and public bodies to contribute to the objectives, priorities and outcomes of the Equally Safe strategy – Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls.

A £19.2 million funding extension to allow these organisations to continue their work until March 2026 was announced in December 2024, provided the Scottish Budget 2025-26 is approved by parliament: Preventing violence against women and girls - gov.scot

This funding uplift of £2.4 million brings the fund total for 2025-26 to £21.6 million.

The organisations funded through Delivering Equally Safe are as follows:

Organisation

The latest Equally Safe Delivery Plan, published in August 2024, sets out next steps to address violence against women and girls.

Frontline projects funded through the Delivering Equally Safe Fund have supported 67,004 adults, children and young people since 2021.

SAY Women is a charity that offers safe semi-supported accommodation and emotional support for young women aged 16 to 25 who are survivors of sexual abuse, rape or sexual assault and who are homeless, or threatened with homelessness.

SAY Women receive funding through the Delivering Equally Safe Fund, and with this uplift this will increase from £52,009 to £58,770 in 2025/26. Funding is in place to support a full Sessional Team to support young women to participate in additional mental health/wellbeing activities contributing to wellbeing improvements aiding in preventing homelessness.

SAY Women are also supported by the Scottish Government’s Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support (SOCAS) Fund. The fund supports 22 organisations across Scotland who work with adult survivors of childhood abuse. SAY Women have been allocated £190,000 for the period of the Fund (1 October 2024 – 31 March 2026) to provide specialised support to young women survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.