CHILDREN in nursery are being taught about violence against women in a desperate bid to save future generations.

Patna nursery learned about gentle hands and safe spaces to raise awareness of domestic abuse.

The project was launched on the same day as the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence international campaign that kicks off on November 25.

It comes after recent figures revealed domestic abuse happens at least three times a day in East Ayrshire, which is higher than the Scottish average.

Children learned how important it was to be kind to others and promote positive relationships in their life.

It also hopes to end bullying and improve their attitude towards others.

Staff at the Patna nursery said: “The event was really to make them aware of any sort of violence and prevent bullying.

“Things like this promote positive relationship between everyone.

“We use terminology like ‘kind hands’ and speak about how important it is to be nice to each other.

“Also we enforce the golden rule of being kind and don’t hurt others.”

East Ayrshire Council has recently launched a Domestic Abuse Policy to help victims of domestic abuse.

Police in East Ayrshire recorded 1,405 domestic abuse incidents in 2017/18.

Cumnock Chronicle:

Through the policy, the council aims to ensure confidential and sympathetic handling of situations arising from domestic abuse, whether during normal working hours or out of hours.

Across the UK the number of domestic abuse crimes reported to police shot up 24 per cent in the last year but the n u mbe r o f suspects officers sought to charge dropped 11 per cent, figures show.

Coercive control offences have also nearly doubled in the year to March and killings fuelled by domestic abuse now account for 20 per cent of homicides, statistics published on Monday showed.

The news comes on the International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women and follows a study commissioned by Vodafone which indicated more than half a million working women in the UK were subjected to domestic violence and abuse in the past year.

The 16 Days of Action run from November 25, UN International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. The campaign spans these 16 days in order to highlight the link between gender violence and human rights.