ABSTRACT

This chapter argues that Scotland is unique, differing from the other countries in the UK in that feminists have been the driving force not simply in placing the issue of domestic abuse on the public and political agenda, but in successfully establishing the issue as a gender-based problem. It outlines how Scotland came to adopt a gender-based approach to domestic abuse and highlights some of the work that has been and is being undertaken to tackle the issue within this gendered framework. In Scotland the strategic focus has broadened to incorporate all forms of violence against women, illustrating not only the gendered definition but also how this is implemented in practice. A pivotal moment in policing was in 2013 when Chief Constable Stephen House declared domestic abuse to be one of the priorities for Police Scotland, the new unitary Scottish force.