The police recorded 63,867 incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24, an increase of three per cent compared to the previous year. This is the first year this figure has risen since 2020-21.

In 2023-24, 38 per cent of domestic abuse incidents recorded by the police in Scotland included the recording of at least one crime or offence.

The type of crime or offence that was most frequently recorded as part of a domestic abuse incident in 2023-24 was common assault, accounting for 31 per cent of all crimes and offences recorded. This was followed by crimes against public justice and threatening and abusive behaviour, each accounting for 20 per cent of crimes and offences.

Following its enactment on 1 April 2019, crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 accounted for five per cent of crimes and offences recorded as part of a domestic abuse incident in 2023-24.

There were 116 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland per 10,000 population in 2023-24. At a local authority level, Dundee City (183), West Dunbartonshire (153) and West Lothian (149) recorded the highest incident rates per 10,000 population.

Where gender information was recorded, just over four-in-five incidents of domestic abuse (81 per cent) in 2023-24 had a female victim and a male suspected perpetrator. This was the same as the previous two years.

In 2023-24, the 31 to 35 years old age group had the highest incident rate for both victims (267 incidents recorded per 10,000 population) and for the suspected perpetrators (233 incidents recorded per 10,000 population).

Just under a third of incidents (31 per cent) occurred at the weekend in 2023-24. This is a slight decrease from 32 per cent in 2022-23. In 2023-24, nine-in-ten (90 per cent) of all domestic abuse incidents occurred in a home or dwelling where location was recorded.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “These figures suggest that domestic abuse is devastatingly prevalent across society. The rise in cases will partly reflect the increased willingness of survivors to come forward, but the true scale of this crime is difficult to measure because a large proportion of cases still go unreported.

“A key priority has to be giving the police the resources they need to keep people safe and the training to ensure every victim of domestic abuse feels comfortable coming forward.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats also want to see the government acting on our calls for a ‘Destitution Fund’ to help everyone experiencing domestic abuse leave and regain control over their futures.

“A fund like this could give people the confidence they need to leave abusive relationships, allowing them a route out of the crisis.”