Violence prevention framework: annual progress report 2024/2025

Ministerial Foreword

The Scottish Government is committed to a public health approach to tackling violence; one that prioritises prevention, partnership, and early intervention. This approach aims to help individuals turn their lives around while making our communities safer for everyone.

Over the past 20 years, non-sexual violence, including homicides and knife crime has declined across Scotland^[1] However, we know violent crimes of course continue and this is what we must remain laser-focused on tackling. Over the last 18 months, Scotland has seen a number of violent incidents involving young people, including the loss of three young lives to knife crime. These deaths are tragic and heartbreaking for families, friends, and communities and reinforce the urgency of our collective efforts. The Scottish Government has made clear that no form of violence is acceptable and that no one should carry a weapon, including a knife, at any time in any circumstance.

In January, the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, and I, along with others, met with young people and families affected by violence. Their courage in sharing their experiences was humbling. We also engaged with youth work representatives and violence reduction funded partners, including the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, Medics Against Violence, and from YouthLink Scotland’s No Knives Better Lives programme. Their insights reaffirmed our approach and the critical role of youth work in prevention and early intervention.

While the vast majority of young people do not engage in violence, a few still view harming others as a somehow acceptable part of their lives. This must be challenged. We encourage frontline professionals, parents, carers, and community leaders to speak with young people about the dangers and consequences of violence, particularly knife crime.

In May 2023, the Scottish Government published the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland^[2]. This was the first of its kind in Scotland, setting out a comprehensive three-year programme of activity to prevent violence and reduce its impact, backed by £6 million to support its implementation.

The Framework promotes a whole-system approach, involving a wide range of organisations and services working together to deliver targeted actions. It acknowledges there are no simple solutions, and that preventing violence requires sustained effort across multiple sectors. I am pleased to be able to publish this second Progress Report on the Framework alongside a new Monitoring Framework^[3] providing further insight into the national evidence available on the levels of non-sexual violence.

I welcome the progress highlighted within this Report by all our violence reduction partner organisations as well as the wider efforts by all those working across communities to help make a positive difference to improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities.

Preventing violence is a shared responsibility. We still have work to do to deliver on this programme. By working together, we can build safer communities across Scotland, where everyone can live free from violence and fear.