SGSSS has increased its focus on demonstrating how social science PhD research can influence and impact policy making. This began with a knowledge exchange event held in conjunction with the Scottish Government Justice Directorate, focused on targeting violence against women and girls (VAWG).

The event was based on Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls. Three current PhD researchers, presented their emerging work to an audience of 50, comprising academics working in related fields, and Scottish Government policy makers. The presenters and their topics were:

• Ülkü Baturoğlu-Balcı (University of Glasgow): “Hard to reach but easy to ignore: victim-survivors’ experiences of accessing support in rural communities.”
• Niall Buchanan (Edinburgh Napier University): “An investigation into perpetrators of online sexual harassment: who are the perpetrators, and what are the predictors of online sexual harassment perpetration?”
• Lucy Mackay (Glasow Caledonian University): “Will proposals to reform criminal law to address misogynistic harassment be an effective response to the harassment young women in Scotland experience in public?”

The presentations were followed by round table discussions. The event was a great success, sharing new and emerging research findings, offering insight into how officials currently utilise and apply research as part of policy development, and highlighting areas of interest relating to VAWG where further evidence may be helpful.

The event will be followed up in a report summarising the findings of the SGSSS event and how these have been applied in policy making since then. Our thanks go to Jeff Gibbons, Unit Head VAWG (Justice) and Tamsyn Wilson, Principal Researcher in the Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services, for their support of this event.