Services for gender-based violence

If you’re aged 13 or over, you can get support through the Rape Crisis Scotland helpline if you've been affected by any form of sexual violence. Support is there for anyone of any gender.

You can call any day from 5pm until midnight.

You can also get in touch via email or you can text the team for information and support. They can also arrange for free language interpreters, if English isn't your first language, and there is a British Sign Language service.

• Call: 0808 801 0302
• Email: support@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
• Text: 07537 410 027

Rape Crisis Scotland can also put you in touch with your local Rape Crisis Centre if you want to get support there.

Rape Crisis Centres will give you time to talk about what happened and give you options for what you want to do after. They can offer different types of support, information about things like the law and your rights, and they can also come with you to places like the hospital, STI clinics, the police station and court.

Rape Crisis Centres are free and confidential. This means they won't tell anyone you've been in touch unless there is a concern over your or someone else’s safety - but they will do their very best to tell you before talking to someone else.

Some also offer workshops such as aromatherapy and relaxation techniques that can help too.

Find the details of your local centre.

The Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline can offer private support to anyone with experience of domestic abuse or forced marriage. They are open 24 hours and they have a translator service available if you'd rather speak to someone in a different language.

• Call 0800 027 1234
• Email helpline@sdafmh.org.uk

Domestic abuse is abuse in relationships. You don't have to be an adult couple living together for it to be domestic abuse - it can happen in young people's relationships too. Or young people might be affected by domestic abuse in their home or family.

Women’s Aid provides support to children and young people who are in abusive relationships, or who are affected by domestic abuse at home. You can can find where your nearest Women’s Aid group is here.

There is also information for children and young people about domestic abuse here.

FearFree: support for people experiencing domestic abuse in Scotland who identify as a man or from the LGBT+ community. See the website the areas of Scotland served.

You can refer yourself or find out how to contact the service here.

The National LGBT Domestic Abuse Helpline provide support services to LGBTQIA+ people. Their helpline is open Monday to Friday (10am - 5pm) with a later closing time of 8pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

• Call 0800 999 5428
• Email help@galop.org.uk

A national helpline providing information and emotional support to LGBT people, their families, friends and supporters. Provides support to LGBT people who have experienced domestic abuse.

Open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (12 to 9pm).

Phone: 0300 123 2523

If you’re 18 or under you can get support from Childline.

You can call them or you can speak to them over web chat or email. You must log in to the Childline website to speak to them over email or webchat.

These services are free and confidential, and this means they won't tell anyone you've been in touch unless there is a concern over you or someone else's safety. If you call Childline, the number won't appear on your phone bill.

• Call 0800 1111
• Webchat or Email

Amina: Let's Talk is a service for Muslim and Black and Minority Ethnic women and girls aged 16-25 in Scotland. Their helpline runs every Wednesday 6pm-9pm.

• Call 0808 801 0301
• Email TalkToUs@mwrc.org.uk

Shakti Women's Aid: Support, information, signposting for black and minority ethnic women, children and young people who are experiencing, or have experienced, domestic abuse.

• Call: 0131 475 2399

• Email: info@shaktiedinburgh.co.uk

Hemat Gryffe offers support for women experiencing domestic abuse, forced marriage or honour-based abuse. Their helpline is available Monday to Friday from 9:00am until 5:00pm.

• Call: 0141 353 0859
• Email: womensaid@hematgryffe.org.uk

The Young Scot LawLine offers free, confidential, 24-hour legal advice on any legal issue or problem for anyone aged 11 to 26, in partnership with JC Hughes Solicitors in Glasgow.

• Call 0808 801 0801

The Scottish Child Law Centre can offer free confidential legal advice service on any issue to do with children and young people in Scotland. Their service is available for under 21's.

• Call 0300 330 1421
• Email advice@sclc.org.uk

The Scottish Women’s Rights Centre Free and confidential legal advice and advocacy support for women aged 18+ who have been affected by violence and abuse in Scotland.

• Call 08088 010 789 (see here for opening times)

If you’re aged 18+ you can contact the ‘Revenge Porn’ Helpline (10 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays) which provides advice, guidance and support with helping to remove intimate content which has been non-consensually shared online. You can also email them or contact them through Facebook Messenger.

• Call: 0345 6000 459
• Email: help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk

Victim Support Scotland offers free confidential to support to anyone affected by a crime. Their helpline is open Monday to Friday 8am-8pm.

• Call 0800 160 1985

Stop It Now! Scotland As well as working with adults who present a risk of sexual harm to children and families affected by the behaviour of a loved one, Stop It Now! Scotland works with young people who have caused sexual harm and their parents/carers. This includes delivering services those who have got into trouble because of online sexual behaviour and training and consultation about tackling all forms of child sexual abuse.

Stop It Now! Scotland has also developed The Upstream Project, an online resource for adults in Scotland to prevent child sexual abuse. This includes is a toolkit for parents, carers and professionals working with children to help prevent harmful sexual behaviour. As well as support, advice and information, the toolkit has links to key organisations and helplines, resources about harmful sexual behaviour by children, tips about internet safety, advice about sexual development and preventing child sexual abuse.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) is a law enforcement agency that helps keep young people safe from sexual abuse and grooming online. You can report something that has happened to you on their website.