Proposed new offence to criminalise psychological abuse

Less than 20 per cent of people who have suffered psychological abuse from their partner think they have been the victims of a crime, according to new figures.

The Scottish government is considering legislation that would include a specific offence of domestic abuse.

The new offence would catch people who inflict “psychological harm” – including acts of deprivation of liberty and coercion.

However, figures from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey show that only 17 per cent of those who experienced psychological abuse last year thought themselves victims of a crime.

Seventeen per cent of women and eight per cent of men have been psychologically abused by a partner. But only 25 per cent of women thought it was a crime and only five per cent of men.

The draft offence would criminalise behaviour that could make a person feel “frightened, humiliated or degraded” or isolate them from others.

Lily Greenan, a former chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, said she hoped the legislation would fundamentally change the prosecution of domestic abuse offences.

She said: “When women come forward, they think isn’t a crime, but that’s the stuff they talk about.

“They talk about the violence, but also hugely about the extent to which their lives were controlled.

“The daily wearing down of someone’s ability to act for themselves is what this offence is trying to get to.”

Ms Greenan added: “The point of this new offence is to take account of patterns of behaviour … We’re not talking about a one-off incident.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: “Creating a specific offence of domestic abuse will give the police and the courts the powers they need to hold perpetrators to account and improve public safety.”