Specialist domestic abuse court opens in Scotland
A new court, dedicated to hearing domestic violence cases, will open in Glasgow next week.
The pilot scheme, which forms part of the Scottish Executive’s plan to tackle domestic violence, will aim to fast track cases of domestic abuse occurring in south Glasgow. In 2002/3 there were an estimated 2250 domestic abuse incidences in the area, with around 600 police reports made to the Procurator Fiscal.
It promises to put victims at the centre and provide a more “supportive and sensitive” service in an attempt to ensure that more victims follow through with their allegations, rather than withdrawing their complaint.
Dedicated sheriffs and procurator fiscals will be assigned to deal with all cases of abuse.
Communities Minister, Malcolm Chisholm said: “Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime and we know that on many occasions it is only reported after women tolerate years of abuse.
“Since devolution, we’ve targeted £32 million of resources to improve refuges and support services and campaigned to challenge attitudes about abuse in the home.
“More and more women are now reporting incidents to the police and this specialist court will fast track cases and ensure women get the proper support to help them through these traumatic times. We will monitor this pilot closely to learn from it and see if this service can be rolled out across Scotland.”
The pilot will run for two years and draws inspiration from specialist courts operating in England, Wales and North America.
