Spring 2013 Newsletter
Download our Spring 2013 Newsletter
Each year more than 100 people are killed in violent attacks in Scotland. It's a shocking statistic but it doesn't have to be this way.We don't have to accept that lives are lost through needless, mindless violence. We don't have to accept that violence is an inevitable part of life. That's why the Violence Reduction Unit was created, to develop a national approach to tackling violence across Scotland - and to show that violence is preventable, not inevitable.Browse our website to find out what's being done to tackle violence.
Download our Spring 2013 Newsletter
Online pornography, sexting and its impact on the behaviour of young people is a growing concern, leading to suggestions it may increase incidents of sexually inappropriate behaviour, dating violence and sexual bullying. But in a world that is increasingly technology led, how do we help young people make sense of imagery that reinforces potentially harmful and negative stereotypes of what it means to be a man or woman in the 21st century?
In October 2012, we held a conference to share our experiences and those of others who had run CIRV-style gang projects.
To help us explore the ideas behind Homeboy, we have invited its founder, Father Greg Boyle, to visit us in May. His visit will present a great opportunity to hear about the impact Homeboy has had on his community and find out about his own unique and inspirational strategy for developing kinship within communities, empowering the disengaged to become positive, committed and valued community assets.
From 2009 to 2011, the Violence Reduction Unit ran a highly successful gangs’ project, CIRV (the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence) in Glasgow. During the life of the project, gang violence was reduced by almost 50% amongst those who signed up to the programme.