Police issue "zero tolerance" warning over domestic abuse

POLICE warned yesterday that they would take a "zero tolerance" approach to domestic abuse this festive season as figures revealed a rise in incidents during previous Christmas and New Year periods.

Grampian Police said incidents of the "completely unacceptable" crime increase over the next fortnight and called for a "rethink" of the issue.

Figures showed nearly 42,000 women reported they had been abused by a man last year. And the number of men coming forward to report domestic abuse by a woman increased from 7,361 to a total of 7,938 last year.

Domestic abuse ranges from physical, sexual, mental and emotional abuse taking place within a relationship.

Grampian Police said their Domestic Abuse Liaison Officers (DALOs) were on hand to respond to Christmas incidents.

Working with charities and other agencies, including Grampian Women's Aid, Aberdeen City Council and the Cyrenians Project, they also give advice and support to victims.

Sue McEwan, from the force's domestic abuse team, said: "As a society we urgently need to learn more about domestic abuse, to understand its seriousness, and to rethink our typical responses in order to achieve greater consistency and a more helpful approach.

"We need to clearly get the message across that domestic abuse is completely unacceptable."