POLICE officers across the Scottish Borders have been engaging with local partners and communities to raise awareness of domestic abuse.
Officers are called to attend an incident of domestic abuse on average every nine minutes.
Domestic abuse comes in many forms, including physical, emotional, financial, and coercive control. It affects people from all walks of life and can have devastating consequences.
READ MORE: Police Scotland appoints first female chief constable
Betweeen June 12 - 16 officers have been putting a spotlight on domestic abuse, including Intimate Image Abuse (IIA) and Sextortion, Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse (DSDAS), Stalking, Domestic abuse in LGBT+ relationships, and Bystander ‘That Guy’.
As part of the campaign representatives from a number of agencies attended Farne Salmon in Duns to provide information and advice to employees.
These included PC MacLeod from Police Scotland, Wendy Davidson from Scottish Borders Council Domestic Abuse Coordination Unit , Carol Walker from Borders Womens Aid, and Ali and Lesley from Scottish Borders Rape Crisis Centre were also there to provide valuable support.
READ MORE: What's on at the Borders Book Festival this week
Police Scotland are urging anyone who sees or hears anything that makes them worried for a friend, relative or neighbour, to contact police, confidentially, to share their concerns.
Reporting concerns is confidential and the person at risk will never be told who reported it.
People can contact the police about their concerns by:
Calling 101 (or 999 in an emergency)
Using the Contact Us online form for reporting incidents (not to be used in an emergency)
Using the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS)
READ MORE: Worthy charities benefit from Borders clay pigeon shoot
If you’re not comfortable speaking to police you can speak to any partner organisations who can provide practical and/or emotional support including advice about reporting it to police.
Officers are also highlighting the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland
Right To Ask.
If you are worried that your partner might have an abusive past, or you are worried about someone else then DSDAS could provide information that can help that person make a positive choice to protect themselves and their future.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here