Over 5,900 domestic callouts to police last Christmas

On International Women's Day, Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader and former police officer Wendy Chamberlain MP has called for an end to the delays holding back the rollout of key domestic abuse protections, as she revealed that over 5,900 domestic incidents were reported to Police Scotland last Christmas.

In response to a freedom of information request by the party, Police Scotland revealed that officers attended 5,945 domestic incidents over the Christmas period between 1st December 2024 and 3rd January 2025.  

Despite the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2021) passing five years ago, the SNP government have still to implement two of its key provisions: domestic abuse protection notices and domestic abuse protection orders.

Notices would allow the police to require a perpetrator to leave a victim’s home immediately after an incident. Orders would give a sheriff the power to impose certain requirements or prohibitions against a perpetrator.

The Scottish Women’s Rights Centre has warned that this delay means victims and their children “remain at serious risk of further abuse and harm”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader and former police officer Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

“These figures reflect just how prevalent violence against women and girls is across Scotland.

“Around 6,000 incidents in the Christmas period alone gives a terrifying sense of the scale of domestic abuse.

“Five years since the Domestic Abuse Act passed and the SNP are still dragging their heels over the crucial protections within it.

“The government have failed to give any good reason for the persistence of these delays.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats recently passed a motion at our conference calling for an end to these delays, so we can remove abusers from the family home and keep women out of harm’s way.

“We would also take steps in a range of areas, from health to education to justice, to tackle the root misogyny often underlying this violence.”