Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services data report - October 2020

Police Recorded Domestic Abuse Incidents

The number of Domestic Abuse incidents recorded in October 2020 was above the level seen in 2019. 

These updates (including the proportion with a crime or offence) will be reflected in future editions of the Official Statistics on Domestic Abuse in Scotland. The next edition will cover the 2019-20 reporting year.

Looking cumulatively across April to October 2020, incidents were 7% higher than the equivalent period in 2019.

In October 2020: 

5,129
Domestic incidents recorded

Up 1% since last year
(5,055 incidents)

In April to October 2020:

39,235
Domestic incidents recorded

Up 7% since equivalent period last year
(36,744 incidents)

The proportion of April to October 2020 incidents that include the recording of at least one crime or offence was 43.4%. Police Scotland's Management Information Report suggests an equivalent figure of 43.9% for 2019-20.

In addition to the above, separate figures on crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 are available from the Recorded Crime in Scotland monthly Official Statistics. There were 893 such crimes recorded by the police in April to October 2020, compared to 1,026 during the equivalent period in 2019 (down 13%).

Police Recorded Domestic Abuse Incidents per 10,000 population

Across Scotland as a whole, the police recorded 72 domestic abuse incidents per 10,000 population during April to October 2020. 

The local authorities with the highest rates were Dundee City (106), West Dunbartonshire (93), West Lothian (91), Clackmannanshire (91) and North Lanarkshire (91).

Further Information: 

The data in this section comes from the monthly Official Statistics on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, please see Recorded Crime in Scotland: October 2020.