Domestic abuse incidents

Request data on domestic abuse incidents reported to police and charges brought.

Domestic abuse is a significant public safety issue. Police data shows the volume of reports, charging rates, and how the picture varies across Scotland.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of domestic abuse incidents recorded. 2. The number of incidents that resulted in at least one criminal charge. 3. A breakdown of incidents by local policing division. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

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Tips#

  • The Scottish Government publishes annual domestic abuse statistics based on police-recorded data. Check the latest publication on the Scottish Government website before submitting your request.
  • The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 introduced a specific offence of coercive control. You can ask for a breakdown showing charges under this Act separately.
  • The charging rate (item 2 as a percentage of item 1) helps you understand whether reports are leading to action.
  • If you want to understand the full picture, consider also requesting data from the Crown Office on prosecution and conviction outcomes.