MSPs to debate new domestic abuse law

credit Holyrood magazine

Holyrood is to consider a “ground breaking new law” to protect victims of domestic abuse and hold perpetrators​ to account.

New powers that would tackle sustained controlling behaviour and psychological abuse were announced in the Scottish Government’s legislative programme.

Under the legislation emotional and psychological abuse would be a crime, with a separate offence of domestic abuse also created.

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The government said almost 60,000 domestic abuse incidents were reported to Police Scotland in 2014-15.

In a key finding, the figures showed that of these incidents, 79 per cent had a male perpetrator and a female victim.

Scotland’s justice secretary Michael Matheson will hold talks with Linda Rodgers of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, ahead of a Holyrood debate today on the new powers.

Matheson said: “We know the effects of controlling and coercive behaviour can isolate the victims, separate them from their family and sources of potential help, and can take years to overcome.

“Our consultation underlined the need for careful consideration of the legislation to ensure it can capture complex and controlling behaviour. That’s why we’re working with support providers, police and prosecutors to ensure the new offence is effective in criminalising psychological abuse.

“Parliament has its first opportunity to debate what we need this ground-breaking new law to do to protect victims and hold abusers to account. We know women are disproportionately affected, so this will also be a key part of our wider work to tackle violence and unacceptable attitudes against women and girls.

“Abuse can be physical abuse, but we know it can also be a more subtle pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour and we need to do more to ensure that perpetrators know that they will face prosecution and ensure the support is there for victims.”

Rodgers, welcoming the moves to protect victims, added: "We are very glad that the Scottish Government continues to seek real solutions to preventing domestic abuse and tackling it where it occurs.

"Every day our workers see the impact that domestic abuse has on women, children and young people and I'm delighted that the Minister visited us in order to see for himself how specialist services like ours can help women rebuild their lives after abuse.

“The progress of this legislation will require hard work and careful consideration, but we are committed to working with the government to take practical steps to make women and children safer."​