Dr Marsha Scott

Chief Executive at Scottish Women's Aid. Women's inequality is the cause and consequence of violence against women, or, It's the patriarchy, stupid.

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

📣 What could your Will make possible? 📣

Writing a Will is about the people and causes that matter to you, and the future you want to help shape.

After taking care of the people you love, choosing to leave a gift to Scottish Women’s Aid can help women, children and young people affected by domestic abuse find support, safety, and justice for years to come.

And every gift, whatever its size, can be part of something bigger.

This Free Wills Month, if you're over 55, you can write or update your Will with a solicitor free of charge through the National Free Wills Network.

What matters to you today can help change tomorrow.

Write your will today: https://t.co/gXWavwXoPf

#50Futures #SWA50#FreeWillsMonth

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

Our Big Give matched appeal closes today at midday.

You can help build a Scotland where women and children affected by domestic abuse are heard, their rights respected and their safety put first.

Your support will help survivors’ voices and experiences shape better responses to domestic abuse.

Every £1 you donate becomes £2, while matching funds last.

Give what you can before midday, to allow women and children to be: Heard. Believed. Safe.

Donate here: https://t.co/yNsmg8i9Pi

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

Our Head of Policy, Stephanie Millar, participated in a roundtable discussion on child poverty and public debt at the Scottish Parliament last week, alongside Aberlour, Money Advice Scotland, the Child Poverty Action Group and COSLA.

Drawing on our research into coerced debt, Stephanie highlighted how economic abuse can leave women facing debts they did not choose, pushing families further into poverty and making it harder for survivors to rebuild their lives.

Public debt systems must recognise the impact of domestic abuse and ensure women are not penalised for debts caused by perpetrators. Tackling child poverty means addressing these barriers and ensuring survivors can access the support they need to recover.

Read the summary of our research report on coerced debt here 👉https://t.co/yh44T4cpHi

[Dr Marsha Scott @SWACEO]

@scotwomensaid

[Dr Marsha Scott @SWACEO]

Fun in London with the sisters! Hanging out with the other amazing Women’s Aid CEOs @FarahNazeer @SKP_vexrex @WomensAidNI

[Dr Marsha Scott @SWACEO]

We’re havin’ a laugh! Join us!

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

Join us for ‘Stand Up for Women’s Aid’, a special night of comedy to celebrate 50 years of Scottish Women’s Aid.

The all-female line-up will bring plenty of laughs, as we commemorate five decades of standing up for women and children across Scotland.

Expect brilliant comedians, plenty of laughs, and the chance to raise vital funds for Scottish Women’s Aid.

The night of laughter takes place on Wednesday, 25th November 2026, featuring Jay Lafferty, Eva Peroni, Shannon Brooke and Prue Blake. It also coincides with the start of ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence’.

Early bird tickets on sale until Sunday. Buy your tickets here: https://t.co/eI6WZCqq0Z

[Dr Marsha Scott @SWACEO]

https://t.co/oVF8lcCcGt

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

We were pleased to be joined by Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, at our Members' Conference in Stirling this morning.

In his keynote address, he spoke about improving access to justice for women experiencing domestic abuse and highlighted the incredible work of our local, specialist, Women's Aid services for how they support women, children and young people.

''As I thought about this event today, I was struck by how many thousands of women the Scottish Women's Aid network must have helped over the last fifty years. The women you have advised and helped to stay safe. The women you have advised and helped to provide refuge. The women you have guided through the justice system. The women you have supported to rebuild their lives - the women whose lives you have literally saved.''

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

💪 Strong women. Strong purpose. Strong Jodie.🏋️‍♀️ ‍♀️

We couldn’t be prouder of Jodie McVicar, Head of Training at Scottish Women’s Aid, who is about to represent Scotland at the 2026 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Winnipeg, Canada.

Jodie’s work at Scottish Women’s Aid is all about building knowledge, skills, confidence and capacity, delivering training that supports people to better understand domestic abuse, trauma and the experiences of women and children. And now, she’s putting that same determination, discipline and commitment into representing Scotland on the international powerlifting stage.

There’s something pretty special about seeing a woman who spends her working life helping build the strength of others also pushing the limits of her own strength.

Jodie has trained incredibly hard to get to this point. The dedication, discipline and sheer determination she has shown throughout her preparation have been phenomenal. We know just how much work goes into getting competition-ready, and we are so proud to see that hard work rewarded with a place on Team Scotland.

So, from all of us at Scottish Women’s Aid: thank you, Jodie, for your tireless work, your commitment to our training programme and to the women and children we support, and for showing us what strong women can achieve when determination meets purpose.

We’ll be cheering you and the other Scottish athletes competing every step of the way! 📣💪

📅 If you wish to tune in, Jodie’s competition times are:
🏋️‍♀️♀️ Thursday 17 September – 5pm UK time
🏋️‍♀️♀️ Friday 25 September – 1pm UK time

#StrongWomen #TeamScotland #Powerlifting #CommonwealthPowerlifting #ScottishWomensAid #WomenSupportingWomen #Determination #Strength #ProudOfJodie #WomenInSport

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

📣Your gift is their future.📣

For 50 years, Scottish Women’s Aid has been part of a movement driven by the belief that women and children deserve lives free from abuse.

We have challenged injustice, created safety where none existed, and changed how Scotland understands and responds to domestic abuse.

A gift in your will is one way to help that movement continue.

Through our partnership with the National Free Wills Network, you can write or update a will free of charge with your choice of solicitor.

Find out more: https://t.co/4E4KMZHFw1

#50Futures #SWA50

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

📣We're hiring!

We're looking for a Finance and Payroll Officer to support the effective financial management of Scottish Women’s Aid through the delivery of accurate, timely and efficient finance and payroll administration.

Salary: £31,609–£36,977 FTE

Hours: 16 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: We are operating a rolling recruitment process for this vacancy and will review applications as they are received. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible, as interviews may be arranged throughout the advertising period.

The vacancy will remain open until 31st July 2026, though it may be filled before then.

Learn more and apply here: https://t.co/0nco9yhLoJ

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

📣Your gift is their safety.📣

Everything we have achieved over the last 50 years has been made possible by people who believed women and children deserved better.

That belief helped build a movement that challenged injustice, created safety where none existed, and changed lives across Scotland.

As we mark our 50th year, we are looking ahead to the future still to be built.

For some supporters, leaving a gift in their will is a meaningful way to help create the next chapter - for the women, children and young people who will need safety, support and justice in the years ahead.

Find out more: https://t.co/1WmnPSSlv2

#50Futures #SWA50

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

The Scottish Government’s Fund to Leave is closed for applications. Engaged Women’s Aid services and the Women’s Aid central funding delivery service have distributed funding to over 1400 women and their children, helping them pay for the essentials they have needed to support the costs of leaving, planning to leave or staying left from an abusive relationship.

The demand across Scotland for the Fund to Leave demonstrates both the scale of need and the impact that direct financial support can have for women and children experiencing domestic abuse. For many women, access to emergency funds can mean the difference between remaining in an unsafe situation and being able to take steps towards safety and recovery.

No woman should be prevented from leaving abuse because she cannot afford the costs of safety. The demand for the fund highlights the urgent and ongoing need for sustainable, long-term investment in specialist support and direct financial assistance for survivors across Scotland.

We welcome the Scottish Government's commitment to the Fund to Leave for the next two years. We are calling on the Scottish Government to establish the Fund to Leave as a permanent budget commitment and ensure it is administered by Women's Aid services, so that women and children living with abuse can have reliable and consistent access to the support they need. Safety should never depend on whether funding is temporarily available.

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

Accessing justice in rural, remote and island communities in Scotland can come with significant barriers.

Women report struggling to find solicitors nearby, facing long delays, or having to travel great distances for court, appointments, or interviews.

In some areas, there are simply too few legal aid solicitors available - leaving women without representation when they need it most.

You have the right to safety and justice, wherever you live.

Learn more about your rights, here: https://t.co/l3JtTAZi1a

#RemoteandRuralSpotlight

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

Children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse alongside their mothers deserve understanding, care and positive spaces to grow.

Many local specialist Women’s Aid services provide specialist support for children and young people, helping them feel safe, heard and supported as they make sense of their experiences through play, emotional support and young-person-centred programmes. 💛

You can find your nearest Women’s Aid service here: https://t.co/VowQ67TRfy

[Dr Marsha Scott @SWACEO]

Presenters from specialist law services in Texas talking about making “Emotional safety plans” for court appearances. Great stuff. @TheCCICIntl

[Dr Marsha Scott @SWACEO]

“Best way to build trust with survivors [to reduce trauma in court] is to follow through” and not overpromise @TheCCCIntl

[Dr Marsha Scott @SWACEO]

I’m at @JusticeAndOpp to share our learning about criminalising coercive control and to learn from experts around the world, including @CassandraWiener

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

For 50 years, Scottish Women’s Aid has worked to influence the policies and laws that affect survivors of domestic abuse.

Our policy experts have produced briefings and consultation responses on a wide range of issues – from justice and housing to children’s rights and prevention.

You can browse our work, here: https://t.co/phmjCuMMFC

#SWA50

[Scottish Women's Aid @scotwomensaid]

✊ Resistance. ✊

Resistance is the first word in our 50th anniversary tagline: Resistance. Resilience. Rights.

It speaks to our past and to the fundamental driver behind what we do.

In the early 1970s, women across Scotland came together through the Women’s Liberation Movement to challenge inequality and violence against women. Through discussion, protest and political action, they refused to accept the silence around domestic abuse and began building practical support for women experiencing it.

The first Women’s Aid groups were established in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 1973, followed by others across the country. By 1976, it was agreed that there was a need for an organising body to coordinate the growing network of Women’s Aid groups, and so Scottish Women’s Aid was founded that year. Scottish Women’s Aid was set up to nurture new groups and support established groups through research, legal advice, and campaigning for changes to the law.

As we mark the 50th anniversary of Scottish Women’s Aid, we honour that legacy of resistance, women organising, speaking out and demanding safety, dignity and justice.

Resistance is where our story begins. 💜

#ScottishWomensAid #ResistanceResilienceRights #WomensRights #EndDomesticAbuse #SWA50