Keith Brown

The police recorded 62,907 incidents of domestic abuse in 2019-20, this is the fourth year in a row this figure has shown an increase.

In 2019-20, 40% of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland included the recording of at least one crime or offence.

The type of crime or offence that was most frequently recorded as part of a domestic abuse incident in 2019-20 was Common assault, accounting for 34% of all crimes and offences recorded. This was followed by Breach of the peace etc. accounting for 26% of crimes and offences.

Following its enactment on 1 April 2019, crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 accounted for 4% of crimes and offences recorded as part of a domestic abuse incident in 2019-20.

There were 115 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland per 10,000 population in 2019-20. At a local authority level, Dundee City (166), Clackmannanshire (152) and Glasgow City (151) had the highest incident rates.

Where gender information was recorded, around four-in-five incidents of domestic abuse (82%) in 2019-20 had a female victim and a male accused. This was the same as in 2018-19.

In 2019-20, the 26 to 30 years old age group had the highest incident rate for victims (272 incidents recorded per 10,000 population). The 31 to 35 years old age group had the highest incident rate for the accused (257 incidents recorded per 10,000 population).

Recorded incidents of domestic abuse were higher on a Saturday or Sunday than on any other day of the week, with these two days together accounting for just over a third (34%) of incidents in 2019-20.

In 2019-20, around nine-in-ten (88%) of all domestic abuse incidents occurred in a home or dwelling.

Commenting on the statistics, Keith Brown, cabinet secretary for justice, said: “These statistics are a stark reminder of the unacceptable levels of domestic abuse that occur in Scotland.

“A person’s home should be a place of safety and we know that is not always the case and that women are disproportionately victims of domestic abuse.

“The new offence of domestic abuse has been heralded as gold-standard legislation in strengthening the law against those who undertake a course of abusive behaviour, including both physical and psychological abuse, and we have been clear that we want to see all incidents of domestic abuse reported.”

He added: “Last year we provided more than £5.75 million in additional funding for frontline services supporting women and children experiencing, or at risk of, violence or abuse, to help respond to an increase in demand during the pandemic.

“We welcome any indication that more people are coming forward to access justice and we continue to encourage all those who experience domestic abuse to report it and seek support.”