Domestic Abuse Statistics

This webpage contains statistics on domestic abuse and various forms of domestic abuse with references with a particular focus on Scotland.

Domestic Abuse in Scotland

The police recorded 64,967 incidents of domestic abuse in 2024-25, an increase of 2% compared to the previous year. Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25
It is important to remember that reports to Police are always merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the true scale of domestic abuse in our communities. The majority of women never report their experiences. This figure tells us about the number of police calls. It is not a measure of the true prevalence of domestic abuse across Scotland.

A clear majority of victims are female, and the vast majority of perpetrators are male. The latest annual statistical report on domestic abuse recorded by police in Scotland, for 2024-25 highlights Police Scotland reported 83% of victims were female and four in five incidents (81%) had a female victim and a male suspected perpetrator. Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by police in Scotland, 2024-25

Since 2018-19, Police Scotland has recorded over 60,000 incidents of domestic abuse each year. However, domestic abuse is largely a hidden crime which goes unreported to the police. Scottish Women’s Aid believes this figure to be much higher as not all incidents are reported to the police, which this report acknowledges. Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25

Half (50%) of domestic abuse incidents recorded by Police Scotland were between current partners in 2023-24. Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25

Just under (49%) of incidents recorded by Police Scotland were between ex-partners. Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25

Females aged 31-35 had the highest rate per 10,000 population for victims, whereas males aged 31-35 had the highest rate for suspected perpetrators, where gender and age were known. Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25

73% (or 33,544), more than two-thirds of domestic abuse incidents in 2024-25, involved a victim and suspected perpetrator who had previously been recorded in a domestic abuse incident. Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25

47% of female homicide victims were most likely to be killed by a partner or ex-partner in Scotland. Relationship of main accused to victim – Homicide in Scotland 2024-25

Domestic Abuse General

According to the most current UK figures, the UK 2021 Femicide Census Report – 67 (52%) women killed by men in 2021 were killed by a current or former intimate partner. The average between 2009 and the end of 2021 is 60%. Femicide Census Report

According to the UK 2021 Femicide Census Report – 33 women (52% of those killed by intimate partner/former partner) were taking steps towards leaving or had left the relationship. 2021 Femicide Census Report

It is estimated that every day almost 30 women in England and Wales try to take their own lives as a result of experiencing domestic abuse and every week three women take their own lives. Stats taken from (Walby, S. (2004), The cost of domestic violence. Women and Equality Unit), (SafeLives (2015), Getting it right first time: policy report), (Golding, J. (1999), Intimate partner violence as a risk factor for mental disorders: a meta-analysis in ‘Journal of Family Violence’, 14 (2), 99-132.)

Isolation can exacerbate the extreme trauma of domestic abuse. A combined Home Office and police report recorded 38 domestic abuse-related suicides in the first year of the pandemic. This is a likely underestimate as only those with a reported history of abuse to police were included. The majority were aged under 45 and 90% were female. Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides During the Covid-19 Pandemic 2020-2021

Children and Young People

An estimated 1 in 5 (20%) of children have lived with an adult perpetrating domestic abuse. Child abuse and neglect in the UK today

62% of children living with domestic abuse are directly harmed by the perpetrator of the abuse, in addition to the harm caused by witnessing the abuse of others. In Plain Sight | Children and domestic abuse

DA often begins or escalates during pregnancy. 1 in 3 pregnant women experience DA. Domestic abuse in pregnancy

1 in 5 teenage girls have experienced domestic abuse in their dating relationship. Safe Young Lives | Young people & domestic abuse

According to the latest figures, during 2023-24, ‘The most common concerns identified at child protection planning meetings for children registered during the year were domestic abuse (45% of children registered) …’Children’s Social Work Statistics: Child Protection 2023-24 – gov.scot

Economic Abuse

One in seven (15%) UK women experienced economic abuse from a current or former partner within the last 12 months, equivalent to 4.1 million women aged 18 years and over. Measuring economic abuse (with endnotes)
Nearly a quarter of victim-survivors were prevented from leaving a dangerous partner because of the economic abuse Measuring economic abuse (with endnotes)
1 in 10 women with children (10%) had a partner or ex-partner refuse to give them child support or child maintenance, or pay it unreliably when they could afford to pay regularly
95% of domestic abuse victims experience economic abuse. Coerced Debt: Impact and Statistics 2020
73% of women experiencing economic abuse report that the cost-of-living crisis has made it harder or impossible to leave their abusers. Cost of Living and the impact on survivors of domestic abuse, Women’s Aid 2022
60% of domestic abuse survivors are in debt as a result of economic abuse. 6 in 10 domestic abuse-survivors are struggling with coerced debt
60% of victim-survivors of coercive control have been coerced into taking out debt, which can take many years to repay and impacts credit ratings. SEA Coerced Debt Statistics 2020
Women who can’t find £100 at short notice are 3.5 times more likely to experience domestic abuse^.SEA Coerced Debt Statistics 2020
25% of women who have suffered economic abuse report continuing to experience it after leaving the abuser. SEA Coerced Debt Statistics 2020

Homelessness

Women are more likely to be homeless as a result of a violent or abusive household dispute – Homelessness in Scotland: 2023-24

A violent or abusive dispute within the household accounted for 13% of homelessness applications in 2023/24 – Homelessness in Scotland: 2023-24

Domestic abuse is a leading cause of women’s homelessness in Scotland. Housing and homelessness – Violence against women and girls (VAWG)

The most common reason for a homelessness application where the female is the main applicant, is a violent or abusive dispute within the household. That’s 22% of applications compared to 5% from male main applicants.’ Improving Housing Outcomes for Women and Children Experiencing Domestic Abuse.