Jackie Baillie: Men also suffer domestic abuse

Communities minister Jackie Baillie said she thought the extent of domestic abuse against men was greater than people thought as she revealed academics would be reporting on the situation in 12 months time.

Ms Baillie said: "I may not have to convince anyone that domestic abuse is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men and experienced by women and children.

"But we have never sought to deny that there are men who experience domestic abuse, either from female or male partners.

"It also shows the huge scale of the task we face. Domestic abuse has no place in 21st century Scotland."

Ms Baillie said she was "encouraged" more people had sought help through the Thus supported helpline as a result of an executive-funded TV campaign.

Funding plea

She said: "It's very encouraging that the 'Behind Closed Doors' advert has meant more people coming forward to seek help than ever before."

Analysis of the calls showed the vast majority were from women, with 1% from men and 1% from children.

The results have led for women's groups' to call for greater levels of funding.

Oona Hay: "women's groups' underfunded"

Oona Hay from the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre said: "The increasing numbers for the helpline certainly indicate the level of violence against women within our society.

"While women's organisations continue to be under funded it's likely that there are many women out there who are trying to get through but can't."

But some came from men who were perpetrators of abuse seeking help and other men who knew a woman was a victim also called.

Ms Baillie said: "To establish the extent of this in Scotland, I have commissioned research into male victims of domestic abuse."

She also unveiled a national group, chaired by her deputy minister Margaret Curran, which will take forward the Executive's strategy on abuse over the next three years.

It will include local government, police, voluntary sector and legal representatives.