Terrifying toll of domestic abuse
NEARLY 1700 crimes were recorded under Scotland’s new domestic abuse laws during their first year in force, figures have shown.
The Recorded Crime in Scotland report showed there had been 1681 crimes reported under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, which came into force in April last year.
The law created a new offence of abuse as a course of conduct towards a partner or ex-partner.
The report showed sexual crimes have fallen for the first time in a decade although they remained at the second-highest level since the 70s.
The Scottish Government publication showed sexual crimes dropped by one per cent from 13,547 to 13,364, the first time there has been a decrease since 2008-09.
Total crimes recorded in
Scotland during the 2019-20 period remained almost unchanged from the previous year, increasing by less than one per cent to 246,516.
The coronavirus lockdown was only in place for the final few days of the reporting year, so authors say it is unlikely to have had a significant effect”.
The report measures crimes which have come to the attention of the police. Justice Secretary
Humza Yousaf said: “I am pleased that victims of domestic abuse have confidence in the collective actions of the police, wider justice and third sector partners, to come forward and report these cases.
“Reports under these new laws, which reflect the reality of many domestic abuse victims, account for the rise in overall non-sexual violence recorded last year. We must learn from our success in reducing violence on our streets to keep people safer in their homes, in particular those subjected to, or at risk of, domestic abuse.”
Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: “Police officers and staff work with commitment and a dedication to public service to build and maintain our peaceful and respectful way of life.
“Scotland remains a safe place to live and work.”