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2. Main points
- There were 45,796 incidents of domestic abuse recorded in 2005-06, a 5 per cent increase compared to the 43,631 incidents recorded in 2004-05. This continues the steady increase in incidents reported since 1999-00, the first year for which data is available. Just over half of the incidents recorded in 2005-06 (23,983) led to the recording of a crime or offence.
- The most common crime or offence recorded in 2005-06 remained the offence of minor assault, 22 per cent (10,135) of all incidents, with breach of the peace, 18 per cent (8,224), the second most common.
- The overall incidence of domestic abuse reported to the police in Scotland was 899 per 100,000 population in 2005-06, compared to 859 per 100,000 in 2004-05.
- Incidents with a female victim and male perpetrator represented 87 per cent of all incidents of domestic abuse where this information was recorded, down slightly from 88 per cent in 2004-05. This percentage has gradually decreased since 1999-00, when it was 92 per cent.
- For those incidents where information was available on whether or not the victim had previously been reported as being a domestic abuse victim, 55 per cent of the cases involved known repeat victimisation compared to 52 per cent in 2004-05.
- When looking at the incidence per 100,000 population, females are at most risk of being victims of domestic abuse when aged between 22 and 25 and males when aged between 31 and 35.
- Just over 41 per cent of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police involved co-habitees or spouses, with more cases recorded relating to co-habitees (23 per cent) than to spouses (19 per cent). In 34 per cent of cases, the victim and perpetrator were ex-partners or ex-spouses. Since 1999-00, the proportion of incidents involving spouses, co-habitees and partners has decreased from 68 per cent to 58 per cent, while the proportion involving ex-spouses or ex-partners has increased from 29 per cent to 34 per cent.
- The overwhelming majority of incidents of domestic abuse took place in the home (90 per cent of all incidents where the location was recorded). This was more likely if the victim and perpetrator cohabited i.e. were a `spouse' or `co-habitee' (95 per cent of all incidents where location was recorded).
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