Yahoo News West Dunbartonshire records second highest rate of domestic abuse incidents in Scotland
West Dunbartonshire recorded the second highest rate of domestic abuse incidents in the country, according to new figures.
The number of domestic abuse incidents recorded by police in West Dunbartonshire also spiked by almost 10 per cent in the last year.
New figures, released by Police Scotland in a report published by the Scottish Government, showed that the West Dunbartonshire Council region came second for the number of domestic abuse incidents recorded by the police per 10,000 of the population, with 153. The national average is 116.
Only Dundee City recorded a higher figure at 183.
West Dunbartonshire recorded 1,357 domestic abuse incidents in 2023/24, up from 1,237 in 2022/23.
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In the Argyll and Bute Council area, which covers Helensburgh, the figure saw a decrease in the prior year, with 677 in 2023/24, compared to 687 the year before.
Of the 1,357 incidents recorded in West Dunbartonshire, 45 per cent of those involved a crime or offence being committed – more than the national average of 38 per cent. In Argyll and Bute, that figure was even higher, at a whopping 48 per cent. Only Moray recorded a higher percentage than West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute, with 51 per cent.
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The definition of domestic abuse used by Police Scotland is any form of physical, verbal, sexual, psychological or financial abuse which might amount to criminal conduct and which takes place within the context of a relationship.
The number of police recorded across Scotland reached 63,867 in 2023-24, an increase of three-per cent compared to the previous year. It marks the first year the figure has shown an increase since 2020-21.
Where police did record incidents nationally, the majority of victims in 2023-24 (83 per cent) were female.
Over four-in-five incidents (81 per cent) of domestic abuse in 2023-24 had a female victim and a male suspect. Seventeen per cent of victims were male.
In 2023-24, 15-per cent of domestic abuse incidents involved a male victim and a female suspect.
In the remaining three per cent of domestic abuse incidents, the victim and suspected perpetrator were the same gender.
In West Dunbartonshire, Woman and Girls (VAWG) multi agency partnership is highlighting gender based violence prevention and the support available during a 16 days of activism campaign.
The partnership helps deliver Equally Safe – the joint Strategy between COSLA and the Scottish Government to prevent and eradicate GBV in Scotland.
The Strategy was initially published in 2014, updated in 2016 and refreshed in 2023.
The refreshed Strategy takes a public health approach to preventing and eradicating VAWG.
This approach uses evidence to prevent and reduce violence and calls for working collaboratively across all sectors to prevent and eradicate GBV.
West Dunbartonshire’s Violence against Women Partnership it is the multiagency mechanism to deliver Equally Safe locally, through working collaboratively to provide support to all victims of GBV and reduce GBV’s prevalence in the area.
It includes Woman’s Aid, Victim Support, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue, West Dunbartonshire Criminal Justice and Children and Families Social Work, Housing and Homeless Services, and Education, Adult support services, NHS and other third section organisations and leading Domestic abuse charities.
A West Dunbartonshire Council spokesperson said: "The council and West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (WDHSCP) is fully committed to tackling domestic abuse and offering help and support to those affected.
"While it is disappointing to note a rise in domestic abuse, we recognise that gender-based violence continues to be a significant issue and we are strengthening our work locally with partner agencies to support victims of abuse and focus on prevention to reduce harm to those affective.
"We would encourage anyone who needs support to contact one of the many local agencies where professional help is readily available.”
