Our office has been working on the rights of children who experience domestic abuse for a number of years.
Scottish Women’s Aid offers confidential advice and information for both women and children and young people who are experiencing domestic abuse. Scottish Women’s Aid also has a Men’s Advice Line (tel. 0808 801 0327)
Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline is a 24-hour resource offering support to anyone experiencing domestic abuse as well as family members, friends, colleagues and professionals who support them (tel. 0800 027 1234).
If you wish to report a domestic abuse incident you can do so at your local police station or by using an online form. If the situation is urgent, telephone 101 and if it is an emergency, telephone 999.
More in the Rights questions and answers section
Our work around domestic abuse
In summer 2020 we worked with the Observatory of Children’s Human Rights Scotland to conduct an Independent Children’s Rights Impact Assessment. It looked at how children’s human rights have been affected by coronavirus laws and policies in Scotland.
The Impact Assessment looked at nine different areas, including domestic abuse. It found that:
- Domestic abuse is more likely in lockdown. During pandemics violence against women and children tends to increase. Houses where abuse is taking place become harder to escape.
- Children and young people’s access to support services may be restricted in lockdown. With face-to-face support less available, it may be unsafe or impossible to access support on the phone or online.
- Issues in the justice system may be affecting domestic abuse cases. Delays in court processes and the transition of children’s hearings to being held online may both impact on children’s rights to safety and participation.
Independent Children’s Rights Impact Assessment on the Response to Covid-19 in Scotland: Appendix 7
Earlier work
In 2013, we commissioned research on whether children’s views are heard in court proceedings around contact.
The treatment of the views of children in private law child contact disputes where there is a history of domestic abuse
This report reviews the treatment of 155 children from 97 contact cases between parents in which there were allegations of abuse.
In 2015, we built on this work by working in partnership with Scottish Women’s Aid with a group of children on the Power Up/Power Down project.
The children created an image of a Super Listener as part of the project. It highlighted the qualities they thought were important for adults working with children to have:
Super Listener postcard
As part of the Power Up/Power Down project with Scottish Women’s Aid we asked young people to tell us the qualities they thought an adult needed in order to be great at listening to them— then used them to create this postcard of a super listener.
Super Listener poster
As part of the Power Up/Power Down project with Scottish Women’s Aid we asked young people to tell us the qualities they thought an adult needed in order to be great at listening to them— then used them to create this poster of a super listener.
Our research and Power Up Power Down have also informed our work on the Family Justice Modernisation Strategy and the Children (Scotland) Bill.
Consultation response: Review of Part 1 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and creation of a family justice modernisation strategy
The Commissioner responds to this Scottish Government consultation.
Evidence to Justice Committee: Call for Views on the Children (Scotland) Bill
Evidence around this proposed Bill.