Domestic abuse is, by its very nature, the most secretive of crimes, which also makes it one of the toughest to tackle.
Considered taboo for many generations, it has taken time – many would say far too long - for the issue to be openly talked about. Thankfully, in these more enlightened times abuse against women is universally deplored, taken seriously by the police, prosecutors and governments, and high-profile media campaigns that encourage victims to come forward are the norm.
This openness may help explain why the latest Government figures show that although reports of domestic abuse are up this year – by 2.5 per cent to just under 60,000 - the number of incidents involving women is actually falling.
The other side of this coin, then, is that reported abuse against men is on the rise, doubling over the last decade. According to the statistics, male abuse is also less likely to lead to police charges. The changing nature of relationships perhaps offers one explanation as to the rise; it is inevitable same-sex relationships will be open to the same abuses as heterosexual ones. Increased reporting may also play a part.
These are worrying developments, then, but they also give wider society the opportunity to recognise the issue and think about how we should tackle it.
Let’s be clear, the vast majority of domestic abuse – 80 per cent according to the figures - is still perpetrated against women. And that means the majority of funding must continue to go to groups that help women escape their abusive partners and move on in their lives.
But we should use the expertise gained in dealing with women over the last few decades to find new ways to respond to and help men in abusive situations.
On the back of these figures the Scottish Government has announced an extra £3 million in funding for victims’ advocacy service Assist, which offers help to both women and men. This is to be welcomed.
But wider society needs to play its part too. We must recognise once and for all that men are also victims of this despicable crime, and that they, too, need help to come forward and support to rebuild their lives. Let these statistics be a wake-up call.
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