Christina McKelvie MSP has today [15th September] spoken out against Domestic Abuse, seeking cross-party support for the proposed Scottish Government legislation to create a specific criminal offence for Domestic Abuse.

When delivering the 2016-17 Programme for Government, the First Minister outlined proposals to bring forward an improved legislative framework that singles out the offence of Domestic Abuse. 

Commenting on the debate, Christina said: 

"The phrase ‘domestic abuse’ has become a kind of fig leaf.

"Society has pulled a veil over the reality so that it doesn’t upset us too much or make us feel too uncomfortable.

"We mustn’t fall for that get-out.

"It’s happening, it’s shocking, it horrifies us. But it’s the tip of the iceberg.

"The real story lies in the thousands of homes right across Scotland, with no social or wealth boundaries, where women are physically and mentally assaulted, alarmed, distressed and entrapped continually; where they are too frightened to take any action and so threatened by the fear of more of the same that they just somehow hang on.

"This new Bill sets out to tackle the under-reporting of abuse across its different faces.

"The current Sexual Harm Bill has achieved a great deal already, but this is a vital additional weapon in the ongoing fight against the brutal and criminal abuse of women.