Domestic Abuse Matters Scotland evaluation shows major shift

The DA Matters Scotland training came at a crucial time, to support the introduction of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, which made coercive control a criminal offence for the first time in Scotland. It is testament to the many survivors who helped create the programme, the partnership with Police Scotland, and the dedication and commitment of trainers, that 85% of participants said they now have strong understanding of the new legislation.

The results are incredibly positive, but this is just the start. Domestic Abuse Matters Scotland is not just a training course. It is a long-term programme of culture and behaviour change. We must take the learning forward, which is why we’re proud to have also trained over 700 Police Scotland Champions who will sustain the change in skills, behaviour and attitudes through continued support and development.

The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act and the completion of our Domestic Abuse Matters Scotland programme puts the police in good stead to protect victims across Scotland. But we won’t stop there. It’s vital we continue working together – with determination and a commitment to ensuring victims of domestic abuse, across the whole family, get the support they need to become safe and well.

It is essential that anyone suffering domestic abuse has the confidence and the knowledge to come forward and Police Scotland has been critical to the success of the new laws in the first 18 months. I know that this shouldn’t be taken for granted and I am very pleased to see the very positive impact that the SafeLives DA Matters Training has had – drawn from a collaborative approach across the justice system and third sector including ASSIST, the Caledonian System, SACRO (Fearfree) and Safer Borders.

The 2018 Act has been a landmark piece of legislation to tackle domestic abuse, recognising the devastating impact of coercive and controlling behaviour on survivors and their loved ones and enabling Scotland justice system to hold perpetrators to account. This is the first UK legislation to contain a specific statutory sentencing aggravation to reflect the harm that can be caused to children growing up in an environment where domestic abuse takes place.

This was a reflection of the sad reality that domestic abuse pervades society. All of us have a role in ridding our communities of this crime and stopping the harm it causes so many