Nearly 20,000 alerts sent out to tell people their partner has abusive past

Nearly 20,000 disclosures have been given out to tell people their partner has an abusive past under a scheme set up by Police Scotland.

The force said 19,867 alerts have been sent out since the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS) launched on October 1, 2015.

The system aims to enable anyone with concerns about the history of their partner, or the partner of someone they know, to apply for a disclosure.

Since its introduction, 35,847 applications have been submitted to the scheme and 19,867 disclosures (55%) have been given.

Anyone with concerns about their partner, or the partner of someone they know, can submit a DSDAS application via the Police Scotland website, by calling 101 or by visiting a police station.

The scheme operates in two ways: the right to ask and power to tell.

Under the right to ask, anyone who has a concern, including the individual in the relationship, their family, friends, colleagues or neighbours, can submit an application.

Under the power to tell, professionals – including the police and partner support agencies – such as social workers or medical staff, can apply for a disclosure to be made where they have reason to believe a person could be at risk of domestic abuse.

After checks are made into the background of an individual and officers deem it legal to do so, a disclosure will be made to the person at risk.

Detective Superintendent Adam Brown said: “DSDAS is an important preventative tool in tackling domestic abuse.

“Before the DSDAS scheme, there was no formal way of an individual finding out if their partner had a previous history of abusive behaviour.

“And, similarly, there was no mechanism for police to proactively tell individuals if their partner posed a risk to them.”

Mr Brown said the scheme gives women the right to seek information about potential domestic abusers and make an “informed decision” about their relationship.

He said: “Since its introduction we have seen demand to use the scheme steadily grow, with around 600 applications currently being submitted every month, and that figure is growing.

“Police Scotland recorded over 63,500 incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24.

“Domestic abuse is not just physical, it can include coercive control, psychological, emotional and sexual abuse plus economic abuse. The effects of domestic abuse can be traumatic and long-lasting for victims, and also for children.

“Receiving a disclosure can help people make a decision about their relationship and help prevent them from enduring many months or years of abuse.

“The DSDAS application form can be accessed on our website and I would urge anyone with concerns, either for themselves or someone they know, to submit a DSDAS application.”

Linda Rodgers, chief executive officer of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, said DSDAS provides an early intervention that could help people avoid the long-term trauma of domestic abuse.

She said: “We know that receiving a disclosure can be a shock to some.

“However, when those receiving a disclosure realise that the concerning behaviour has been done previously to others, it can be the catalyst for them to seek support to leave as they realise it’s not their fault.

“We have seen an increase in the numbers of women using our services since the scheme began.

“I would encourage anyone with concerns about their partner, or the partner of someone they know, to use DSDAS. We can support them in this process if they are not able to do this at home.

“I would also recommend contacting any of the many partner organisations, such as ourselves, who can provide practical and emotional support.”