Tayside, Central and Fife saw the highest number of domestic abuse charges in Scotland last year.
Figures released by the Crown Office showed there were 7,225 charges with a “domestic abuse identifier” in 2021-22.
The next highest was Lothian and the Borders (6,263) followed by Glasgow and Strathkelvin (5,179).
The domestic abuse data is broken down by sheriffdoms.
The Tayside, Fife and Central area also covers Alloa, Falkirk and Stirling.
The figures show the 32,776 total was a 1.9% decrease in the number of charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) from the previous year.
However, 93% proceeded to court, an increase of 1% on the previous year.
The vast majority (87%) involved male accused and 84% of those charged were aged between 21 and 50.
Conviction rates for 2021-22 have not yet been made available.
Murder and stalking stats
The most common types of domestic abuse-related offences reported to COPFS in 2021-22 include threatening and abusive behaviour (28%) and assault (25%).
There were 12 murder or culpable homicide charges with a domestic abuse identifier, 564 serious assault or attempted murder charges and 682 rape or attempted rape cases.
There were 1,790 charges under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, relating to ongoing controlling and coercive behaviour.
COPFS received reports of 1,010 stalking charges under section 39 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, of which 571 (57%) were related to domestic abuse.
Lord Advocate’s vow
The Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC vowed to maintain a powerful drive for justice for victims and their children.
“Domestic abuse is an invidious and serious crime, where victims live in fear where they should feel the safest – in their homes and in their relationships.
“It is also clear that children are profoundly affected by the impact of abuse on a parent.
“The pandemic has an ongoing impact on the criminal justice system but we remain committed to supporting victims through it, recognising the trauma many will have experienced already and the courage it can take to report their experiences.
“All staff within COPFS have worked extremely hard over the past year to prepare and prosecute charges of domestic abuse as swiftly and effectively as possible and we are determined to continue to do so.
“Scottish prosecutors understand that effective enforcement and prosecution is crucial to the wider prevention work of our justice partners; to building safer lives for victims and children; and to delivering a safer society for all.”
Plea for further reporting
COPFS’s national Procurator Fiscal for Domestic Abuse, Moira Price, said:
“I would like to assure all victims of our continued determination to achieve justice on their behalf.
“We will work closely with our counterparts at Police Scotland to investigate and prosecute the range of offences that constitute domestic abuse.
“I would emphasise that our rigorous approach to crimes of domestic abuse and stalking includes a presumption in favour of prosecution, where there is sufficient evidence to support a criminal allegation.
“I would encourage anyone who has been the victim of such offending to report it to the police and seek support.”
