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Research finds extending laws to include emotional and psychological abuse has had beneficial impact.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Scotland\u2019s ground-breaking domestic abuse legislation better reflects victims\u2019 experiences, according to new research.<\/p>\n
By recognising abuse as a pattern of behaviour, the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 closer matches victims\u2019 accounts of psychological and physical harm over time, according to three small scale research studies from Glasgow Caledonian University, the University of Edinburgh and the Scottish Government.<\/p>\n
Responses from 69 domestic abuse victims and witnesses also found most women felt that engaging with the criminal justice system on domestic abuse was \u2018the right decision\u2019 to take.<\/p>\n
However, respondents also said improvements could be made to how such cases are handled to provide victims with a greater voice in proceedings and better support through the process. Other areas of improvement included making judicial processes quicker and more efficient and providing better training for justice professionals.<\/p>\n
The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 was passed by Parliament on 1 February 2018 and was brought into force in April 2019.<\/p>\n
The Scottish Government published, in February 2022, the Vision for Justice, which set out that urgent action is required to ensure women and children are better served by Scotland\u2019s justice system. Measures that have already been taken include:<\/p>\n
The Scottish Government also intends to introduce a Criminal Justice Reform Bill this year to bring forward recommendations from Lady Dorrian\u2019s review on improving the management of sexual offence cases \u2013 including introducing a statutory right to anonymity for victims of sexual offences. The Bill will also abolish the \u2018not proven\u2019 verdict.<\/p>\n
Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: \u201cI know it takes incredible courage for those who suffer domestic abuse to come forward and I am grateful to everyone who took part in this research. We are committed to putting victims at the heart of Scotland\u2019s justice system and the purpose of this work is to use their experiences to make improvements for all.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am absolutely resolute that we must treat all domestic abuse victims appropriately and with compassion \u2013 the vast majority of whom are women.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are already making significant improvements and it is very encouraging that this report found our new laws have better reflected victims\u2019 experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven that domestic abuse is an under-reported and often hidden crime, it is also very positive that women who suffered such crimes reported that their engagement with the justice system was the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the report authors, Claire Houghton from the University of Edinburgh said:\u00a0 \u201cIt is reassuring that victims and witnesses welcomed the expanded scope of the domestic abuse law.<\/p>\n
“However, our study found that it has yet to reach its potential – adult and child victims and witnesses are still experiencing trauma and delays within the justice system and perpetrators are not adequately held to account for the harm to the whole family.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe look forward to working with our justice partners, alongside victims and witnesses of domestic abuse, to improve people\u2019s experiences of the system and support the vital work of specialist agencies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assistant Chief Constable Bex Smith said: \u201cThis legislation was a significant step change in how Scotland\u2019s criminal justice system deals with the full range of abusive behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery officer in our service has been trained, and new recruits are trained, to identify these behaviours and to apply Domestic Abuse Scotland Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery instance of domestic abuse is unique and we seek to tailor our response to the needs of the victims, including children who often witness abuse.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know we don\u2019t always get it right, but we are listening and we recognise how crucial hearing the experience of victims is in helping us improve our response and deliver a service that meets their needs.\u201d<\/p>\n