Scottish context

The joint Scottish Government and COSLA Equally Safe Strategy, first published in 2014, sets the strategic context for responding to VAWG in Scotland. This was refreshed in December 2023 and will be underpinned by a refreshed delivery plan.

Legislation and the wider criminal justice system

The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (introduced a specific offence of domestic abuse) and the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021 (provisions to protect a person from abusive behaviour by their partner / ex-partner and allow termination of tenancies in cases involving abuse of a partner / ex-partner by a tenant) set the legal framework for the policing of VAWG in Scotland.

The Scottish Government Programme for Government 2023-24 committed to bringing forward legislation to criminalise misogynistic conduct, in response to the Working Group on Misogyny recommendations from March 2022.

Additionally, the Women’s Justice Leadership Panel published, in 2023, their report on The Case for Gendered and Intersectional Approaches for Justice. Consisting of representatives from across the criminal justice system, the Panel reported the following key conclusions:

• there is strong evidence which supports the view that women’s experience of the justice system is very different to that of men. 
• there is a need to improve gender and intersectional data collection and research across the justice system as well as deeper and meaningful engagement with women and girls with experience of the justice system.
• there is a need within the justice system for an agreed understanding of an intersectional and gender competent approach that is used to inform both policy and practice.
• services provided should be person-centred and trauma-informed, and consistent across the entire justice system.