Data from the partner abuse module in the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey: FOI release

Information requested

Anonymised microlevel data from the partner abuse module in the most recent Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS), including demographics of respondents, types of abuse experienced and incident characteristics.

Response

The most recent Scottish Crime and Justice Survey that included findings from the partner abuse module was the 2019/20 main findings report. This combined results from the 2018/19 and 2019/20 surveys. This data is available at the UK Data Service at https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8842 and can be applied for under a special licence. Information on the processes for requesting this data is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-crime-and-justice-survey-data-access/.

In terms of more recent findings from the partner abuse module, I have provided further details below for context.

SCJS results on partner abuse are based on combining two-years' worth of data to increase the sample size and ensure sufficiently robust findings. No survey was conducted in 2020/21 due to COVID-19 and the requirement to restrict social contact (with the survey being based on face-to-face interviews). The survey resumed for 2021/22, however many interviews were conducted remotely (by phone or online). In these cases respondents were asked to complete the self-completion section on partner abuse later by a web or mailed out paper form. This led to a higher rate of attrition, decreasing the amount of available data. As such we are reviewing this information to determine if analysis of acceptable quality can be produced.

No survey was run in 2022/23. The 2023/24 and 2024/25 SCJS surveys include an improved partner abuse module with the aim of more effectively capturing experiences of coercive control, including patterns of ongoing control and their impacts on victims. Findings for these combined two years will be presented in the 2024/25 report, due for publication in 2026.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.