By Bill Heaney
The number of domestic abuse incidents occurring across Scotland is utterly appalling, according to Scottish Conservative MSP Pam Gosal.
Ms Gosal told the Holyrood parliament: “Police recorded an incident every 10 minutes last year, and the problem is getting worse. We need urgent action, especially in relation to reoffending and targeting those who abuse again and again.
Katy Clark, Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for Community Safety, said: “That domestic abuse is on the rise once again is a disturbing reminder of how often the justice system fails women and girls.
“Everyone should have a right to feel safe in their own home, but sadly for tens of thousands of Scots this is not the case.
Domestic abuse – Conservative Pam Gosal, LibDem Liam McArthur and Labour’s Katy Clark.
“This SNP government must ensure that the bullies who abuse feel the consequences of their actions.
“Scottish Labour will use every government tool available to target perpetrators while also addressing the root causes of abuse and violence, including better education in schools to address misogyny and promote healthy relationships and consent.”
- The police recorded 63,867 incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24, an increase of 3% compared to the previous year. This is the first year this figure has shown an increase since 2020-21.
- Where gender information was recorded, just over four-in-five (81%) incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24 involved a female victim and a male suspected perpetrator.
- In 2023-24, nine-in-ten (90%) of all domestic abuse incidents occurred in a home or dwelling.
Comparing to other years, domestic abuse has see a slow increase since 2003-04 (when statistics showed just over 40,000), which has amounted to a significant rise of more than 20,000 in the last 20 years: Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland – 2012-13 – gov.scot
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has also called on the SNP government to take steps to cut rates of domestic abuse.
Mr McArthur said: “These figures suggest that domestic abuse is devastatingly prevalent across society.
“The rise in cases will partly reflect the increased willingness of survivors to come forward, but the true scale of this crime is difficult to measure because a large proportion of cases still go unreported.
“A key priority has to be giving the police the resources they need to keep people safe and the training to ensure every victim of domestic abuse feels comfortable coming forward.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats also want to see the government acting on our calls for a ‘Destitution Fund’ to help everyone experiencing domestic abuse leave and regain control over their futures.
“A fund like this could give people the confidence they need to leave abusive relationships, allowing them a route out of the crisis.”
The official Scottish Government statistics revealed the vast majority of victims were women who were attacked by men, with 90 per cent of incidents taking place in a home setting.
Pam Gosal is currently taking a proposed domestic violence bill through parliament.
The Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) bill would introduce a number of measures, including a register for assailants similar to the sex offenders’ register.
It would also compel offenders to undergo rehabilitation, improve data collection and increase education in relation to domestic abuse.
“These statistics indicate around two-thirds of domestic abuse crimes are committed by those who have done it before. That is an appalling reflection on dealing with those who’ve been guilty of domestic abuse in the past.
“My members’ bill would mean many of those convicted of domestic abuse would face the shame of being put on a register, something that would increase deterrence and place potential victims in a much stronger position.
“It would also support the societal change required, by bringing in more rehabilitation of offenders and rolling out education across the younger generations.
“The vast majority of victims of domestic violence are women who have been attacked by a man they know and often live with.
“We owe it to them to do better on this, and the introduction of my bill would help turn the tide on this deep-rooted and extensive problem.”
The full Scottish Government report can be seen here: