There has been a 7 per cent rise in the number of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by police in Scotland in the last year.
There has been a 7 per cent rise in the number of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by police in Scotland in the last year.
There were 48,801 incidents of domestic abuse recorded in 2006-07, a 7 per cent increase compared to the 45,812 incidents recorded in 2005-06. This continues the steady increase in incidents reported since 1999-00, the first year for which data is available.
Just under half of the incidents recorded in 2006-07, 23,803, led to the recording of a crime or offence, with the most common crime or offence, recorded in 22 per cent of cases, minor assault, with breach of the peace, recorded in 15 per cent, the second most common.
For those incidents where information was available on whether or not the victim had previously been recorded as being a domestic abuse victim, 57 per cent of the cases involved known repeat victimisation compared to 55 per cent in 2005-06.
When looking at the incidence per 100,000 population, females are at most risk of being victims of domestic abuse when aged between 22 and 25 and males when aged between 36 and 40.
Communities and Sport Minister Stewart Maxwell said that the rise in the reporting of domestic abuse shows more people recognising that it is unacceptable, but added these figures are the tip of the iceberg.
He said: “It is deplorable that male violence against women, through crimes such as rape or domestic abuse, continues to devastate many lives. This is why the Scottish Government has announced an increase in funding to address violence against women and domestic abuse.
“The rise in the reporting of incidents shows that while we have made progress in changing attitudes and encouraging women to report domestic abuse, there is still a lot more work to do in tackling this problem.
“Our successful campaign, 'Domestic Abuse, there's no excuse', has increased awareness of this issue. More people now recognise that all forms of domestic abuse are wrong.
“While many women are seeking help from support services such as the Domestic Abuse Helpline and Scottish Women's Aid, and more women are reporting incidents to the police, this new research also shows that many are not.
“It's important we do all we can to encourage people to report incidents so we can know the true extent of this problem and ensure that perpetrators are properly punished.”
John Lamont, the Conservative’s Shadow Minister for Community Safety, said: “This 7 per cent increase continues the shocking upward trend in domestic abuse, which we have seen since 1999. To see less than half of all incidents being recorded as a crime is dreadful. The fact that an increasing number of cases – 57 per cent - involve known repeat victimisation shows we are not doing enough to get abusive partners out of abusive relationships.
“In many ways this is often the worst form of abuse, as the abused partner often feels trapped in a relationship – sometimes unable or unwilling to ask for help. We all have a duty to play our part, as family, friends or neighbours to help mend this part of our broken society.
“Our social and voluntary services need support to help victims of domestic abuse and the state must reflect society’s abhorrence of abusers in the way it pursues, prosecutes and sentences these people. Domestic abuse must not be the hidden crime that shames 21st century Scotland.”
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