Charges covering domestic abuse in Scotland are at their highest figure since 2015-16, while the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has recorded the highest number of DA incidents since record began 15 years ago.
Domestic abuse and stalking charges in Scotland totalled 30,718 in 2019-20, a rise of 5.7% on the previous year. An initial decision to proceed to court was made in 92% of those cases, compared with 85% in 2013-14, according to Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service statistics.
The DA-related offences were headed by the breach of the peace category which includes stalking (35%), common assault (28%) and crimes against public justice (15%).
The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act which came into force in April 2019 has allowed prosecution for a range of coercive and controlling behaviours which were not previously criminal.
In Northern Ireland, the PSNI recorded 32,127 domestic abuse incidents in the 12 months to 30 June, an increase of 1.8% on the previous year, while the number of DA crimes went up 13.3% to 18,796.
Circumstances in some incidents are not severe enough to justify recording it as a crime.
Since records began in 2004-05, calls to police about domestic abuse have risen by 52% and the number of DA crimes recorded by 93%.
