A journalist who spoke out about a sexual assault against her is among those to have been honoured after highlighting violence against women.

Alex Watson, head of opinion at Aberdeen daily the Press & Journal, has been recognised by Zero Tolerance, the Scottish charity which promotes gender equality, at the 2021 Write to End Violence Against Women Awards.

Alex, pictured, was given her award for a first-person piece she wrote after being groped in public by a man earlier this year.

Her P&J colleague Karen Roberts also won an award for her article on how domestic abuse charities were struggling to cope with rising demand during the coronavirus crisis.

DC Thomson, the newspaper’s publisher, scooped a further two awards.

Kirsty Strickland from Dundee daily The Courier won the award for her comment piece on how changes to universal credit and tax credits could put women in abusive relationships at risk, while Marion Scott and Craig McDonald, of the Sunday Post. also picked up an award for their report on how 7,000 domestic violence cases were “trapped in Scotland’s courts logjam”.

DC Thomson chief executive Rebecca Miskin said: “Giving a voice to the unheard and taking people in power to account is vital.

“It’s what matters to our writers and places them directly at the heart of their communities.

“I’m exceptionally proud that our journalists are being recognised, not just for the standard of their work but in such an important subject.”

Other winners included The Scotsman’s Alan Caton for his column calling for more to be done in law to help Scottish sex workers.