Victims highlight gender abuse complexities

A new report has been published by the Scottish Sentencing Council examining how victim-survivors of domestic abuse view sentencing.

The Scottish Sentencing Council published a new report examining how victim-survivors of domestic abuse view sentencing in Scotland.

The research, conducted by Glasgow Caledonian University, provides insights into the experiences and perspectives of victims. Researchers interviewed 24 women across Scotland who gave accounts of their views of sentencing domestic abuse offences.

The report produced by Professor Nancy Lombard and Erin Rennie, found that victims wanted both the level of harm caused by domestic abuse, and the need for their overall safety and protection, to be reflected in the sentencing decisions. This included the use of non-harassment orders. The report also highlighted that there may be communication needs to be addressed by a number of criminal justice agencies.

The Chair of the Scottish Sentencing Council, Lady Dorrian, said: "This research provides insights into how victims of domestic abuse experience the sentencing process, and will help to inform our work on a sentencing guideline for domestic abuse offences. The Council will also consider how it can improve awareness of sentencing in regard to these offences. The report is relevant to many involved in the criminal justice sector and considers a range of matters in relation to how domestic abuse cases are dealt with throughout the justice process.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the participants for telling their stories and to the researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University for their sensitivity in bringing these stories to light.”

The full report is available here. The Council will consider its findings as it continues its work on a domestic abuse sentencing guideline.