To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government plans to embed domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms, similar to plans announced by the United Kingdom Government for England and Wales. (S6F-03383)

Police Scotland’s contact assessment model already ensures that people receive the support and safeguarding that they need in a timely fashion when they are in contact with control rooms. That is primarily an operational matter for Police Scotland, but we will be interested to see how the pilot proposals in England and Wales develop, and we will want to see the outcomes and benefits that they bring to victims of domestic abuse, which is of paramount importance to us.

Police Scotland responds to a domestic abuse call every nine minutes. That means that, every nine minutes, a potential victim is in need of urgent assistance. It is worth examining whether having domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms would make a difference. I have also put forward proposals, in my “United Against Violence” paper, to expand training so that all front-line public sector workers can understand and spot the warning signs of domestic abuse. Would the First Minister consider introducing such a scheme?

I know that the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs met Pam Gosal to discuss that and other questions yesterday, and I am very interested in her proposals. We need to do all that we possibly can to ensure that those who experience domestic abuse are able to receive the support that they require. It should be stated that domestic violence should not be happening in any circumstance whatsoever but, where it happens, we should provide support, so I am open to discussing the issues that Pam Gosal puts to me today.

I welcome the legislative proposals in the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced this week, that can help to prevent domestic violence. However, does the First Minister agree that it is only by changing social attitudes and specific behaviours of those who perpetrate domestic violence, the vast majority of whom are men, that we will truly see a difference in reducing domestic and gender-based violence?

I agree with Rona Mackay. Those who perpetrate violence and abuse, the majority of whom are men, must change their actions and behaviour, and we must root out and tackle the toxic masculinity culture and gender inequality that leads to violence, harassment, misogyny and abuse against women. We should stand against that, and we should call it out wherever we see it.

Our equally safe strategy is aimed at preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, and the legislative proposals in the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill are designed to help us in the process.

I am also very keen to ensure that we work across the chamber to capture some of the thinking that Pam Gosal has put to me in order to make sure that we do everything that we can to address this scourge in our society.