Domestic abuse reforms can save lives, says victim's mother

Fiona Drouet has campaigned against gender violence at universities since her daughter's death

Reforms aimed at reducing the number of deaths in Scotland from domestic abuse "can save lives", says the mother of a teenage victim.

The Scottish government's proposed bill would see a panel review deaths caused by abusive behaviour within relationships - whether this is homicide or suicide.

Fiona Drouet's daughter Emily was 18 years old when she took her own life several days after being choked and slapped by her ex-boyfriend.

Ms Drouet told BBC Scotland News that the new laws would help "build a clear picture" of victims lives, and what could have been done differently to help them.

'Plunged into darkness'

Full details of the process - part of the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill - are still to be published, but it would not interfere with fatal accident inquiries or court cases.

Ms Drouet said: "What I want it to achieve is saving lives, and I think we can save lives.

"When you lose your child you’re plunged into darkness, utter hell, and to try and then form an investigation to look at what went wrong shouldn’t be down to a grieving family.

"These reviews are absolutely essential in Scotland I’m heartened we’re doing this – it’s too late for our family but not too late for others."

Glasgow student Emily was assaulted at a halls of residence in Aberdeen in 2016 by Angus Milligan, her on-off boyfriend.

He also admitted sending her offensive messages, and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting and using offensive language towards her.

She was found dead several days later in March 2016.

He was sentenced to 180 hours of community service for assault and threatening behaviour.

Angela Constance said it was "imperative" for support services to be involved

Ms Drouet said the new bill would "listen to friends, families and colleagues" in an attempt to learn from cases that may not have been flagged up to support services for domestic abuse.

She added: "What I don’t want to see is that we gather really good information that could prevent one of these deaths and do nothing with it."

Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance marked the publication of the legislation at Holyrood Park, where an information board was unveiled alongside a previously unmarked memorial cairn to Margaret Hall, who was murdered by her husband in 1720.

The justice secretary said the new bill is not about "pointing fingers" but that it was "imperative that every service gets together and reviews their involvement" in a case.

She added that it was "important" to place the reforms on a statutory footing.

Professor John Devaney, of Edinburgh University's school of social and political science, worked on the legislation.

He said victims' families would be at the centre of the process.