No family should face cruelty or danger in own home at Christmas, says Bain

Scotland’s most senior prosecutor has warned that “no family should face cruelty and danger behind their own front door this Christmas” as figures showed a rise in conviction rates for domestic abuse.

Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC praised a six-year peak in conviction rates but said that “too many women will feel unsafe in their own homes this Christmas”, as domestic abuse was likely to “intensify” over the festive period.

She said that “Scotland is shamed by this feature of our society”, in a message encouraging survivors to seek help.

She also said the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) was working to make it less daunting to report abuse.

Figures showed a 19% rise in conviction for offenders, the largest increase in convictions since new domestic abuse legislation was enacted in 2019.

Ms Bain said: “It is my sincere hope that this significant increase in domestic abuse convictions gives confidence to victims.

“Too many women in Scotland will feel unsafe in their own homes this Christmas.

“Men who inflict violence and abuse do not pause their criminal behaviour. We know it often intensifies as families spend more time together.

“We understand that it can be difficult to participate in the criminal justice system, but prosecutors are working hard to make lives safer.

“I hope this is, in some way, reassuring to those who may have cause to seek help, safety and justice this Christmas.”

The Scottish Government report on Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2023-24 published earlier this month showed increased rates of convictions for both domestic abuse and sexual offending.

Convictions under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 rose 19%, from 756 in 2022-23 to 897 in 2023-24, the highest figure since the law came into force.

Domestic abuse convictions encompassed physical, emotional, economic and online abuse.

Rape and attempted rape convictions also rose by 19% to 221 while convictions for sexual assault increased by 15% to 421, the highest since 1989.

Statistics showed the vast majority of victims are women, and 96% of those convicted are male, often already known to the women.

Ms Bain said: “Scotland is shamed by this feature of our society.

“Male perpetrators subject women to horrendous abuse as if it is an expected part of everyday life.

“It is never acceptable. It must be stigmatised for the criminal behaviour it is. We will prosecute and seek convictions with every tool we have.”

Over the festive period between December 2024 and January 2025, COPFS received 5,172 crime reports related to domestic abuse.

She added: “This year we have seen convictions for a number of homicides involving the murder of a woman by a male partner or ex-partner.

“At this time of reflection, our thoughts are with all the families affected by these heinous crimes.

“In some cases, murder was the culmination of a long course of domestic abuse which lasted months or years and involved multiple previous partners.

“It is incumbent on all of us to recognise and respond to the warning signs of abusive behaviour.

“In this way we work towards a culture change where abuse simply doesn’t happen in the first place.

“No family should face cruelty and danger behind their own front door this Christmas.”