Speaking Out: Oral history clips

Speaking Out: Recalling Women's Aid in Scotland (logo)

The Speaking Out project is gathering oral history interviews with women connected to the Women’s Aid movement, both past and present. These interviews will form a first-hand record of the movement’s history.

Below you will find a selection of recordings edited from these interviews on a variety of topics. Please be aware that some of the interview subjects discuss issues which some listeners may find upsetting (e.g. details of domestic abuse experience).

Click or tap the tiles to play your chosen selection.

Marilyn Ross, former Ross-shire Women's Aid support worker, describes the solidarity of women in refuge
Dorothy Fall, former national Women's Aid worker, discusses the challenges faced by Women's Aid groups in rural areas
Morna Burdon, former Scottish Women's Aid joint national coordinator, talks about developing the service provision for Asian women
Dr Rebecca Dobash, violence against women researcher, explains the importance of Women's Aid in changing perceptions towards domestic violence
Rhona Brankin, co-founder of Ross-shire Women's Aid and former MSP for Midlothian and cabinet minister for Communities, describes the influence of Women's Aid on her politics
Pamela Ewing, domestic abuse survivor, describes the controlling behaviours of her abuser
Nicola Borthwick, domestic abuse survivor, outlines the impact Women's Aid has had on her life
Marnie Roadburg, former Edinburgh Women's Aid worker, discusses her experience with the police in the early days of Women's Aid
Marion MacNeil, domestic abuse survivor, talks about using the Matrimonial Homes Act to evict her abuser
Lily Greenan, former chief executive, Scotish Women's Aid, outllines the impact the new proposed specific offence of domestic abuse could have

If you would like more information about the Speaking Out project, please contact Scottish Women’s Aid.

This project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and was a partnership between Scottish Women’s Aid, Glasgow Women’s Library, the Glasgow University Centre for Gender History and Women’s History Scotland.

Heritage Lottery Fund logo

Scottish Women's Aid logo

GWL logo

University of Glasgow

Women's History Scotland logo