Exploitation

The Scottish Government recognises forced marriage to be a form of gender-based violence and, where children are victims of forced marriage, child abuse. It may be associated with other forms of domestic abuse and “honour based” abuse. Forced marriage can impact both men and women, however most cases typically involve younger women and girls between the ages
of 15 and under and 30. This guidance outlines the duties of statutory, public and third sector bodies involved in responding to forced marriage.

Financial harm includes any type of harm which adversely impacts on an adult’s finances. Under the Adult Support and Protection Act (Scotland) 2007, a Council Officer has the legal right to ask any financial institution for financial information in relation to the adult (under a Section 10 request). This briefing outlines the legal framework for Section 10 requests relating to financial harm, the responsibilities of everyone involved, and key considerations in relation to Section 10 requests where financial harm is being investigated.

Equally Safe is Scotland's strategy to prevent and address all forms of violence against women and girls, specifically violence, abuse, and exploitation directed at them because of their gender. This strategy defines violence against women and girls, setting out the focus of and strategy for tackling it. The strategy includes material on child protection and Adult Support and Protection as it relates to women and girls.

This guidance is a primer for all local authority staff on human trafficking and exploitation. Topics covered range from spotting the signs for frontline staff, to strategic planning suggestions and considerations for partnership working. External links are included for further reading and more in-depth information. This guidance does not replace existing guidance or structures at a local authority level, and does not remove the need to keep local policies and processes under review.

This guide aims to help people working with adults who have mild or moderate learning disabilities or significant learning needs. It explains how to recognise gender-based violence, and how to respond in a sensitive and suitable way.

This short video is an explanation of what cuckooing is. It uses the example of Ali, a vulnerable adult whose flat was taken over by people so that they could use it as a base for dealing substances.

The video was made by an English local authority (Waltham Forest) but its messages are also relevant in a Scottish context.

This is a short introduction into supporting adults at risk of harm to stay safer online. It helps practitioners gain awareness of online safety, helping address and explore online use with people who draw on support. It also acknowledges that technology and social media can be positive for those who may be (or feel) isolated.

Staying safe matters every day. This video is for the public, and encourages people to think about friendships. Are your friends “good” friends, who make you feel safe and enjoy spending time with you? Or are they “tricky” friends – who leave you feeling unsafe and take more than they give? This animation talks about what to look out for and offers links to where you can find help and support.

This short animated video explains what sextortion is and what to do if you are a victim of it. It is designed to be shared with the public.

This video, from the ASPire 2024 conference, defines and explores 'sextortion' scams. These are financially motivated sexual extortion scams which involve the threat of sharing sexual information, images, or clips to extort money. Forms of sextortion are discussed, alongside recent trends, and the impact sextortion can have on a victim. The video includes a shorter film, made by the National Crime Agency to raise awareness of how sextortion may occur.