Dundee domestic abuse victims are said to be “losing faith in the justice system” as the city remains Scotland’s worst place for such offences.
New data shows more domestic abuse crimes are recorded in the city per head of population than anywhere else.
In 2021/22 there were 168 cases per 10,000 people.
The figures have dropped slightly since last year’s data, when there were 177 cases, but a charity says that is not a positive thing.
Why are victims not coming forward?
Dundee Women’s Aid says despite the downward trend, it has not seen a drop in demand for its services.
Manager Mary Miller suggests the drop is down to issues around bringing perpetrators to justice.
Issues such as alleged perpetrators repeatedly breaching bail conditions and the court releasing them on bail… have negatively impacted on victims
She told The Courier: “One of the reasons [the rate] may have fallen is that women are losing confidence in the criminal justice process, therefore choose not to report to the police.
“Issues such as alleged perpetrators repeatedly breaching bail conditions and the court releasing them on bail time and time again have negatively impacted on victims.”
Covid backlog and solicitors refusing cases
The charity also claims that Covid has caused a large backlog in cases going to trial – an issue which will get worse as defence solicitors boycott certain abuse cases.
The Scottish Solicitors Bar Association (SSBA) announced last week that defence solicitors will be refusing certain domestic abuse cases from May 6.
It is part of an ongoing dispute between the SSBA and the Scottish Government, in which Legal Aid defence solicitors claim they are being underfunded and overworked.
They say some abuse cases are “inherently complex” and they are unable to cover them.
A spokesman for SSBA told The Courier: “Our members no longer have the resources to cover this work under the current fee regime.
“We regret that this will cause delays but the fault lies with the Scottish Government who have chosen not to fund the defence profession.
“The justice system does not work if the government fund certain parts of it but not others.”
Government ‘investing millions’ in justice system
According to a spokesperson, the Scottish Government is “not aware of solicitors previously having raised specific issues about domestic abuse cases”.
The government has also refused to comment on the bail conditions placed on alleged abusers, but it has promised to invest more in tackling domestic abuse.
A spokesperson said: “The backlog in cases is a primary concern, which is why we committed £50 million to justice recovery in 2021-22 – including setting up 16 additional solemn and summary courts to increase capacity – and we are allocating a further £53.2m in this financial year to recovery, renewal and transformation activity across the justice system as we emerge from the pandemic.”
What are police doing to tackle the issue?
Detective Inspector Gillian Fairlie, from Police Scotland’s domestic abuse taskforce, insists officers work to ensure victims are “fully supported”.
She said: “Our domestic abuse disclosure scheme information provides a mechanism for sharing information if people suspect their partner has a history of domestic abuse.
“It gives people at risk the information they may need to an informed choice on whether to continue their relationship, and provides help and support to assist the potential victim when making that informed choice.”
She is urging anyone at risk of domestic abuse to contact police on 101 – or 999 in an emergency.
What help is there for domestic abuse victims?
Dundee Women’s Aid has secured three years of funding, worth £1.4m, for a domestic abuse court advocacy service in partnership with Barnardo’s and the Dundee Violence Against Women Partnership – named Dundee Assist.
Roles for the service are being advertised.
Ms Miller said: “This is funded from the justice department of the Scottish Government.
“The Dundee Assist team will support victims, including children, who have cases going to court and our colleagues in Police Scotland will refer them to us at the earliest opportunity so that victims get the help they so rightly deserve.
“Anyone seeking support from Women’s Aid can call 01382 207099 where we will do our utmost to help.”
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