Domestic abuse court could expand
Government looking at repeating Glasgow pilot elsewhere
The Glasgow domestic abuse court is being looked at for application in other parts of Scotland, First Minister Alex Salmond said in the Scottish Parliament yesterday.
Mr Salmond was responding to Labour spokesperson Margaret Curran, who raised the question of what the government was doing to support victims of domestic violence in the week of international women's day. He said the government had allocated more than £40 million over the next years, including support for organisations like Scottish Women's Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland.
Asked further whether he would support the women's groups who wanted the court extended throughout Scotland, Mr Salmond said: "The first thing is, of course, to continue the work of that court and extend it throughout the city of Glasgow. Not every court in Scotland is suitable, as Glasgow most certainly is, for that work, but it is certainly being considered for application elsewhere."
The Glasgow court has dedicated procurators fiscal and sheriffs in place to bring domestic violence cases to court with the minimum delay and with additional support for victims. Conviction rates have increased markedly in cases brought before the court.
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