Domestic abuse survivors share stories

Two survivors of domestic abuse are among those who share their stories in a BBC Scotland documentary.

Lauren har die and carolyn Quinn describe their experience sat the hands of abusive partners in BBC Disclosure: Surviving Domestic Abuse.

Miss har diet old of her frustration at delays and a lack of communication within the justice system, after her ex-partner pleaded guilty to pushing her, holding her down by the wrists, shouting,swearing and destroying property at her home.

He attacked her after an evening out, and she feared for her life, so made a recordingon her phone, out of sight of him. “I was really scared,” she said. “The thing that was running through my mind was, ‘If I don't make it out of this I have to show people why. I have to have proof ’.

“I thought he was going to end my life that night. I just saw a knife. I had hands on me, holding me down and I was getting hurt. and he was getting angrier.”

Videos of the attack were posted on social media after Miss har die became frustratedwith court delays, and she received hundreds of messages from other domestic violence survivors. After her ex-partner pleaded guilty to the crimes, for which he was admonished, Miss Hardie said she felt there was “really no punishment through the justice system”.

She said: "I didn't think he was going to get years of jail time, but I did think that the punishment would fit the crime a little bit more.”

Around12,500 admonishments have been given as a sentence for domestic abuse over the past five years in Scotland, said the BBC.

Carolyn Quinn, from Paisley, suffered 27 years of severe violence and rapes at the hands of ex-husband Kenneth Quinn, which began when she was four months pregnant. She also talks about her experiences in tonight’s documentary.

BBC Disclosure: Surviving Domestic Abuse, is on BBC One scotland tonight at 9 pm.