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MAV Fundraiser: Masked Ball and Dinner, November 2010
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MAV Scoops Policing Award
MAV's groundbreaking education programme has been recognised by the Scottish Policing Awards.
The Medics Against Violence initiative was officially launched on 18th November 2008 at the Southern General Hospital Glasgow by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon and the Minister for Justice, Kenny MacAskill.
Medics Against Violence was set up by three Scottish surgeons, Christine Goodall (an oral surgeon), Mark Devlin and David Koppel (maxillofacial surgeons). Surgeons and others in medicine and nursing have to deal with the consequences of violence on a daily basis. Most of the injuries we see affect young men and can leave them with scars, disabilities and psychological problems, and may even kill them.
We decided it was time that healthcare joined in the campaign to reduce violent injury, which is an entirely preventable problem. This initiative aims to tackle the problem of youth violence before anyone gets hurt. We hope that by using our experiences of dealing with injured patients we can help young people to keep themselves safe by helping them understand some of the consequences of violence and how to avoid it.
All of the medics who take part in our programmes are volunteers. We are currently about to embark on our first project which will be trialled in Glasgow and the surrounding areas. It aims to influence attitudes to violence among Scottish youth, particularly in relation to knife carrying, knife crime and gang membership. This initiative will see medics go into schools to talk to young people about the consequences of violence.
Medics Against Violence was affiliated with the WHO Violence Prevention Alliance in 2008.
Medics against Violence, Registered Charity Number SC041153
We work in partnership with the Violence Reduction Unit at Strathclyde Police.
copyright © 2008-10, Medics Against Violence, Registered Charity Number SC041153