Dual reports of domestic abuse made to the police in Scotland: A summary of findings from a pilot research study

Published: May 2015

This research summary highlights findings from a pilot study that used Scottish police data to undertake exploratory analysis of ‘dual reports’ of domestic abuse. Dual reports occur when both parties in a relationship are reported to the police as perpetrators of domestic abuse at the same time. This means that both partners are reported simultaneously as the perpetrator and the victim of domestic abuse. Dual reports present a particular challenge to both conventional understandings of domestic abuse and the police response to these offences. The pilot study examined the nature of dual report incidents, how common they are, and how the police respond to these incidents.

Authors / Editors

Dr Oona Brooks-Hay

University of Glasgow