How police investigate one report of domestic abuse every 9 minutes

DOMESTIC abuse allegations are being reported to police on average once every nine minutes.

The figures include nine homicides in the past year – and hundreds of assaults and attempted murders.

Despite a massive police and government drive to curb the problem, the number of incidents rose last year.

The police data, published by the Scottish Government, also shows married people are less likely to fall victim than those who cohabit.

The research has sparked concern over the SNP’s proposal to introduce a presumption against jail terms of less than a year.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said this ‘would mean domestic abusers – most of whom are jailed for a period within that time-frame – would walk away from court’ and could return ‘to torment their victim’.

According to the Government, Police Scotland recorded 58,810 domestic abuse incidents in 2016-17 – 161 a day or one every nine minutes – up 1 per cent from 58,104 the previous year.

Some 27,496 incidents in 201617 were later classed as crimes but all of them are investigated and logged by police.

There were nine homicides classed as domestic abuse incidents and 463 cases of ‘attempted murder and serious assault’ linked to domestic abuse.

In 13 per cent of cases, the abuse involved spouses or civil partners, compared with 20 per cent for cohabitees and 22 per cent for ‘partners’. The rest were ex-spouses or ex-partners.

The figures show 11,358 victims of domestic abuse were men. Incidents were more common at weekends, with 36 per cent occurring on a Saturday or Sunday.

Meanwhile, the 26-30 age group had the highest incident rate for both victims and accused.

Police highlighted a scheme that allows people to find out if their partner has a history of violence.

Assistant Chief Constable Nelson Telfer said: ‘As a result of the rollout of the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland, people who suspect that their partner may have a violent past have the right to ask for information.’

Scottish Labour justice spokesman Claire Baker said the figures may ‘only be the tip of the iceberg as often victims are still too afraid to come forward’.

Scottish Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: ‘We need to see continued action to give people confidence to come forward.’ There were 12,374 convictions where domestic abuse was a factor in 201516 – the latest available data for convictions (as opposed to incidents). This was down 1 per cent from 2014-15 (12,440 convictions).

But the figures in 2015-16 were 44 per cent higher than in 2010-11 (8,566 convictions).

The Government said: ‘The longerterm increase has been driven by an increase in breach of the peace convictions, particularly offences of “threatening or abusive behaviour” or stalking.’

The Scottish Government’s Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill – to create a specific offence of abusive behaviour towards a partner or ex-partner and to criminalise psychological abuse – is passing through the Scottish parliament.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: ‘While figures have been relatively stable over the past five years, they remain evidence of the unacceptable levels of domestic abuse in Scotland.

‘It is crucial our work continues with even greater urgency.’

‘Only the tip of the iceberg’