Kids’ Crusade To Expose Fife Domestic Violence

LAST year, more than 3000 calls were made to the Fife Domestic and Sexual Abuse Partnership, most of which involved children in some way.

Now, in the first project of its kind, young people from 11 Fife schools have become the newest crusaders against domestic violence and are highlighting its affect on children.

‘Behind Closed Doors…Time We Opened Them’ is a full day event which takes place at Rothes Halls towards the end of February, where third year pupils from around the Kingdom have been asked to present a project showing the affect domestic abuse has on young people.

In a major move to help and support children affected by the hidden issue, the FDSAP and Women’s Aid have been encouraging understanding of domestic abuse through the works, which will all be shown at the event.

Sheila Noble, from FDSAP, said: “Ninety per cent of domestic abuse happens when a child is in the same or adjacent room – sometimes these children are witnessing the abuse, sometimes they get caught up in it trying to protect their mother, and often they are listening to it from another room.

“This is what we are trying to raise awareness of – achild can end up taking on all sorts of responsibilities.”

The 11 schools who signed up for the event, including St Andrew’s and Viewforth high schools in Kirkcaldy, have created comic strips, dramas, photographs and music to highlight the issue.

The seven S3 pupils from St Andrew’s have put together a 10 minute film, ‘Reach Out’, which they have acted, filmed, edited and even played their own musical score too.

Representatives Tamsyn Brown and Megan McAuley said: “We decided to make a film because we thought it was a bit different.

“We did lots of research with the help of teachers – it’s about a school pupil who is experiencing domestic abuse at home but doesn’t think she can talk to anybody, but she finds that she can in the end.”