Expert: We should learn from Australia
A specialised domestic abuse system pioneered in Victoria, Australia, that brings together a range of different agencies could provide a new template for Scotland.
It uses dedicated teams of trained domestic violence police officers working closely with other specialists such as mental health workers and housing staff, bringing cases to a dedicated family violence court.
Solicitor Tony Bone, a former police chief inspector who worked with Scotland’s groundbreaking Violence Reduction Unit, thinks the system could be successfully introduced in Scotland.
The system involves everything from family doctors to housing staff, police to mental health workers, teachers and child psychologists who ensure families receive support and access to services.
Perpetrators face jail terms if they fail to follow courtapproved counselling to correct behaviour.
Australia’s family violence courts treat the whole family and integrate criminal and civil court processes rather than duplicating court action, as happens at present in Scotland.
Bone said: “It’s a system I believe the Scottish government should look at closely. There are many advantages over what we currently do here, trying to make domestic abuse fit a criminal charge when the problem is so much bigger than that.
“As a former police officer, I believe the police would welcome change as the system we have is frustrating and so much that is being missed could be picked up by a specialist team aided by specialist multi-agency practitioners.”
Scottish Conservative
Shadow Social Justice Secretary Miles Briggs, whose remit includes domestic abuse, is hoping to have Bone address MSPS at either a Holyrood committee or special cross-party summit on the issue.
Briggs said: “We are beginning to understand just how childhood trauma and the lifelong effect of adverse childhood experiences impacts on future mental health, drug taking and behaviour in adulthood, so it is only sensible to consider a whole-family approach to domestic abuse such as the impressive work being undertaken in Australia.
“With the backlog of domestic abuse cases swamping Scottish courts and the increase in violence cases during the pandemic, we must find a new way forward and what is happening in Australia may well provide part of that solution.”