Figures show a 5% increase from 34,200 recorded incidents in 2000 to 35,800 during last year.

In 91% of cases the victim was female.

In cases where a perpetrator's gender was recorded, 91% were male.

Valuable information

The findings are very similar to those observed in 2000.

Scottish Executive ministers described the latest figures as encouraging and said it showed victims had more confidence in reporting incidents to the police.

Social justice minister Margaret Curran said: "Today's figures provide valuable information about the nature and scale of domestic abuse.

"Over the last three years the number of incidents reported to police has risen, this is encouraging because it demonstrates increased confidence that the police will take the matter seriously.

"The sheer number of incidents confirms that we are right to have increased resources for this work."

In 64% of crimes or offences recorded in Scotland following an incident of domestic abuse, the case was referred to the procurator fiscal.

Protecting women

In 10% of cases, a police warning was given; 15% of cases involved some other type of action and in 12% of cases, no further action was taken.

About half of the domestic abuse incidents were reported to police by repeat victims.

Half of the incidents involved cohabitees or spouses.

In 30% of cases, the victim and perpetrator were ex-partners or ex-spouses.

The overwhelming majority of incidents of abuse took place in the home.

Louise Johnson of Scottish Women's Aid said there was still a long way to go towards protecting women, children and young people.

The Scottish Tory social justice spokesperson Lyndsay McIntosh MSP later said she was "bewildered" as to why the Executive found the increase in incidents as "encouraging".