Every single year, Scottish police record around 60,000 cases of domestic abuse. That’s just one sobering statistic in a slew of others, a drop in an ocean of violence. Every time I write about this topic I struggle to find new data that will finally convince people to start listening and trying to affect change.

The number of survivors who never make it to trial? Those who do and are denied justice? Those traumatised not only by the perpetrator but the legal system and the societal stigma that hangs over society like a dark cloud of apathy and ignorance?

As a survivor myself, I could wax lyrical about the positive and encouraging responses I’ve had from people, the frustration, the empathy, but nothing hurts more than the collective impotence we feel at not being able to change things.

Seeing 24 hour-a-day courts set up in the rest of the UK during the riots a few weeks ago left me feeling conflicted. I completely agree with expanding resources within the justice system, a fair and speedy trial is incredibly important for all parties involved in criminal proceedings, and I couldn’t help but think of the thousands of survivors up and down Scotland right now, waiting years for their day in court, who might benefit from similar measures.

I loathe to think of just how many of them are living for years with the fear, as I had to, that despite all the evidence, all the reports and the interviews and the statements, that a dangerous perpetrator might go free.

This year the Scottish Government released data suggesting that the average wait time for survivors reporting historic offences under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 from offence to sentencing is 1,344 days, which is three years and........

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