Slight rise in domestic abuse

Nearly 110 incidents of domestic abuse were recorded for every 10,000 people in Scotland last year, new figures have revealed. A total of 58,810 domestic abuse cases were recorded by Police Scotland in 2016/17, a one per cent increase on the previous year. Forty-seven per cent of incidents included at least one criminal offence, most of which were common assault or breach of the peace. Almost four-fifths (79 per cent) of cases involved a female victim and a male perpetrator, down from 85 per cent ten years ago. Domestic abuse levels in Scotland have remained relatively consistent around 59,000 since 2011/12. Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said the level of offending was still “unacceptable”. He added: “Attitudes towards domestic abuse are changing – it’s no longer seen as a private matter, or no business of criminal law. “We are grateful to the police and our partner organisations for the work they are doing to change attitudes and behaviours, and we will continue our campaign to eradicate the scourge that is domestic abuse.” Assistant Chief Constable Nelson Telfer said: “The contribution of our partners and communities is key and we remain committed to reducing the harm caused by domestic abuse, and protecting victims remains very much a priority for Police Scotland.”