Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland (VPF) End of programme report

1. Ministerial foreword

I was especially pleased to launch the Violence Prevention Framework in May 2023 as one of my first acts in office as Minister for Community Safety.

Then, as now, it marked a significant milestone — the first comprehensive, multi-year programme of its kind in Scotland. I am delighted, therefore, to introduce this third and final annual progress report on the Framework’s implementation.

Over the past three years, the Framework has been at the heart of a co-ordinated national effort to prevent violence and reduce its impact. The Framework has been backed by more than £6 million in investment from the Scottish Government to help deliver on its Actions.

Since its publication, the Framework has not only shaped the direction of violence prevention work across Scotland’s public sector; it has helped embed our public health approach — one that places prevention, partnership, and early intervention at its core.

Across each of the Framework’s 14 key Actions, our partners have worked jointly - often at grassroots and in quite innovative ways - to deliver on these shared aims. Their commitment is to be commended. It is reflected in the breadth of activity contained in this third and final report and the positive difference that has made in communities right across the country.

The Framework seeks to prevent all forms of violence, focused on – but not limited to – reducing non-sexual interpersonal violence. The Monitoring Framework, which was published in December 2025, as part of the Framework’s implementation, highlights encouraging long-term trends, including reductions in non-sexual violence overall and particularly in homicides and serious injury from knife-related crime. The Framework has sought to make further progress on these key measures of violence. However, we know that violence still affects far too many people.

Recent years have brought a few deeply distressing incidents involving young people. Some have been widely reported and have resulted in the tragic loss of young lives to knife crime. The devastation felt by families, friends, and communities is immeasurable. Like many others, I have felt each of those incidents especially keenly and have recognised the heartbreak at the loss of a young life. Each incident serves as stark reminder of the importance of the mission set out in the Framework; that no form of violence is acceptable, and no one in Scotland should ever feel the need to carry a weapon.

Although such serious violence among young people is thankfully relatively rare, a minority still regard carrying weapons as an acceptable part of life. This perception must always be challenged. We must continue to encourage parents, carers, practitioners and community leaders to engage with young people about the dangers, consequences and long-term impact of violence.

The progress outlined in this report reflects the strong commitment to change these patterns of behaviour. Our partners are focused on improving safety and preventing violence from happening in the first place. We must continue to be relentless in our pursuit of these aims. Violence prevention is a shared responsibility and will require sustained, coordinated effort over the years ahead.

While further work undoubtedly remains, I am encouraged by the progress we have made with this first Violence Prevention Framework. As this report shows, we now have a solid foundation for the ongoing effort to build safer communities across Scotland, where people can live without violence or fear.