A report on Domestic Abuse and Stalking charges in Scotland 2025-26 was published today.
This provides information on charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and identified as relating to domestic abuse. It includes information on charges under section 1 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, following the implementation of this legislation on 1 April 2019.
The main findings are:
· In 2025-26, 34,586 charges were reported to COPFS with a domestic abuse identifier. This is a significant increase of 14% compared to the 2024-25 total of 30,227. It is the highest number of charges reported since 2014-15.
· The vast majority of charges identified as relating to domestic abuse are prosecuted. An initial decision was made to proceed to court with 91% of charges in 2025-26.
· The most common types of offences reported in 2025-26 with a domestic abuse identifier were crimes against public justice, which include bail offences, at 25%; threatening and abusive behaviour offences at 24%; and common assault offences at 24%.
· The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 came into force on 1 April 2019, creating a statutory offence of engaging in a course of behaviour which is abusive of a partner or ex-partner. In 2025-26, 2,815 charges were reported under this legislation, a 39% increase compared with the 2024-25 total of 2,028.
· In 2025-26, 1,000 stalking charges under section 39 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 were reported to COPFS. Of these, 458, or 46%, were identified as domestic abuse.
Domestic Abuse and Stalking Charges in Scotland 2025-2026 – publication
Domestic Abuse and Stalking Charges in Scotland 2025-2026 – data tables