Concerns about children suffering domestic abuse in Scottish households have surged by almost 20 per cent – with cases expected to rise again in the lead-up to Christmas. Almost 4,000 pleas for help were recorded in the last six months by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
The charity said kids have been contacting their helpline directly about violence at home, with around 21 calls taken on the issue per day. A total of 3,879 calls were received by Childline from both adults and children as the charity delivered 500 counselling sessions to youths during the same period, an increase of 19 per cent on the previous year.
A 12-year-old Scots girl told a Childline counsellor: “I can’t handle living around my dad; he puts us all on edge. You never know what he’s going to do next or over what.
“Mum thought she’d lost her phone weeks ago, but really dad hid it to punish her. Mum doesn’t even argue back anymore, it’s like he’s made her give up.”
Common issues highlighted by callers included 1,279 incidents involving coercive/controlling behaviour. Around 1,451 involved emotional domestic abuse and 999 reports involved domestic abuse occurring after separation or divorce.
It is feared that these figures will spike again as the festive season approaches. Bosses at the NSPCC say numbers will continue to rise with longer, darker nights seeing children spending more time at home and having several weeks away from school.
In response, the charity is launching its annual Christmas campaign designed to remind young people that Childline is available throughout the festive season to support all concerns, including domestic abuse.
Adeniyi Alade, head of NSPCC helplines in Scotland, said: “Christmas should be a time of wonder and excitement for children, but sadly this is not always the case. For some it can be a time in the year when problems at home come to a head and trigger issues like domestic abuse.
“Contacts to the NSPCC Helpline about domestic abuse have been on the rise this year and the concern now is that this will continue over Christmas and into 2025. Our mission is to ensure that no child is left to suffer in silence. Our Childline service is open in December and throughout the year to provide free, confidential advice and support.”
Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk. Any adult can contact the NSPCC Helpline if they have a concern about a child on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing [email protected]. For more information on DART (Domestic Abuse, Recovering Together), visit the NSPCC website.
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