Key facts
- First Minister John Swinney announced plans to outlaw harassment and abuse based on misogyny.
- The proposed bill may include recognizing pregnancy as an aggravating factor in domestic abuse cases.
- Stacy Hunter was murdered by her estranged husband, Jim Mair, while he was on bail for attacking her.
- Hunter's family believes that repeated offenders are not deterred by advice and require real consequences.
- The family supports a campaign for GPS tracking of high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators on bail.
- Justice Secretary Neil Gray stated that the government is working to strengthen bail conditions and expand GPS technology.
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has been informed that the justice system has failed women who were murdered by ex-partners. The family of Stacy Hunter, who was killed by her estranged husband while on bail for a previous attack, has stated that proposed government measures are insufficient.
During his programme for government, Swinney announced plans to recognize misogyny as a distinct form of prejudice and abuse, aiming to outlaw harassment and abuse based on it. The bill is also expected to consider pregnancy as an aggravating factor in domestic abuse cases and provide emergency funds for victims. However, Stacy Hunter's family expressed skepticism, with her brother Sean Hunter arguing that such measures would not have prevented her death. He believes that dangerous, repeat offenders are not deterred by advice and require more severe consequences.
The Hunter family is actively campaigning for enhanced safety measures, including mandatory GPS tracking for high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators or suspects released on bail. They also seek stronger repercussions for bail condition breaches. Justice Secretary Neil Gray acknowledged the need to strengthen bail conditions and monitoring, stating that the government is looking to expand the use of GPS technology. He indicated that the technology is available and efforts are underway to accelerate its widespread rollout.
Stacy's mother, Ann Hunter, recently met with First Minister Swinney to discuss their campaign. She noted that Swinney appears willing to take action. The family's primary concern remains the immediate safety of victims, highlighting that their abuser had been granted bail for attacking Stacy just three weeks prior to her murder.