Police Scotland said 19,867 alerts have been issued under the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS) since it began on 1 October 2015. The scheme has processed 35,847 applications, with 19,867 disclosures issued, representing 55%. People with concerns about a partner, or the partner of someone they know, can apply via the Police Scotland website, by calling 101, or at a police station.

DSDAS operates in two ways: the right to ask and the power to tell. Under the right to ask, individuals with concerns—including the person in the relationship, their family, friends, colleagues or neighbours—can submit an application. Under the power to tell, professionals – including the police and partner support agencies such as social workers or medical staff – can apply for a disclosure where there is reason to believe a person could be at risk. After checks into the background of an individual and officers deem it legal to do so, a disclosure will be made to the person at risk.

Detective Superintendent Adam Brown said: “DSDAS is an important preventative tool in tackling domestic abuse. Before the DSDAS scheme, there was no formal way of an individual finding out if their partner had a previous history of abusive behaviour. And, similarly, there was no mechanism for police to proactively tell individuals if their partner posed a risk to them.” He added that the scheme gives women the right to seek information about potential domestic abusers and make an informed decision about their relationship. Police Scotland recorded over 63,500 incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24.

Linda Rodgers, chief executive of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, said DSDAS provides an early intervention that could help people avoid long-term trauma. “We know that receiving a disclosure can be a shock to some. However, when those receiving a disclosure realise that the concerning behaviour has been done previously to others, it can be the catalyst for them to seek support to leave as they realise it’s not their fault. We have seen an increase in the numbers of women using our services since the scheme began. I would encourage anyone with concerns about their partner, or the partner of someone they know, to use DSDAS. We can support them in this process if they are not able to do this at home. I would also recommend contacting any of the many partner organisations, such as ourselves, who can provide practical and emotional support.”