iStockThe number of homicides in Scotland is rising, with women most likely to be killed by a partner or ex-partner, according to official statistics.
Releasing its annual figures, the Scottish Government confirmed that in 2025-26, 56 victims of homicide were recorded, which is 19% (nine victims) more than the 47 victims recorded in the previous year.
67% of female victims were most likely to be killed by a partner or ex-partner, with ten out of 15 victims recorded.
Of the 56 victims recorded in 2025-26, 41 were male, and 15 were female. Meanwhile, six women last year were accused of homicide in comparison to 75 men.
In July, 44-year-old Vikki Soloman was allegedly killed by her ex-partner in Edinburgh, while 35-year-old Stacy Hunter was murdered in Renfrewshire.
Police Scotland
Police ScotlandMs Hunter’s husband was found dead at the scene of the incident, while Ms Soloman’s ex-partner was later found dead in his cell after being charged with murder.
It sparked debate on the rise of violence against women and girls, with First Minister John Swinney describing the situation as a “national emergency”.
Knife epidemic – are youth deaths on the rise?
The number for this year was the fourth lowest of recorded homicide victims since comparable records began in 1976.
Over the last ten years, from 2016-17 to 2025-26, the number of victims fell by 14% (nine victims) from 65 to 56. Over the latest 20-year period, the number fell by 54% (65 victims).
The median age of a victim of homicide in 2025-26 was 40 years old, two years higher than in 2024-25.
From 2021-22 to this year, 16 male homicide victims aged 16-24 were recorded.
The greatest reduction in homicide victims over the last 20 years has been amongst young people aged 16-24 – stats
Despite this, campaigners have raised the issue of a youth knife epidemic, following the deaths of 16-year-old Kayden Moy, 15-year-old Amen Teklay and 16-year-old Kory McCrimmon.
STV NewsKory was stabbed in the heart after a confrontation in Greenfield Park in Glasgow’s east end in May 2024 by a 14-year-old.
Amen Teklay was found with serious wounds believed to have been inflicted with a blade on Glasgow’s Clarendon Street on March 5, 2025. The 15-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 16-year-old and a 17-year-old were accused of murdering him in a sword attack. They were found not guilty of murder in July.
A few months later, Kayden Moy, 16, was stabbed at Irvine Beach in May 2025.
Three teenagers, two aged 18 and one aged 15, were given life sentences following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
For each of the last 20 years, the most common method of killing was with a sharp instrument.
In 2025-26, that trend continued, with sharp instruments being the main method of killing for 52% of victims.
What is the Scottish Government planning to do?
Justice secretary Neil Gray said: “My thoughts are with anyone who has lost a loved one to homicide. While the number of victims has fallen by more than half since 2006-07, there is a devastating loss behind every statistic.
“The long-term decline in homicides, especially among young people, reflects sustained efforts to prevent violence, including knife crime, and support people at risk.
“These figures make clear that a majority of the women killed in 2025-26 were killed by a partner or ex-partner.
“This reinforces our absolute determination to do all we can to tackle violence against women and girls by preventing it from happening in the first place, supporting victims, and ensuring that violent men change their behaviour and are held accountable for their actions.
“In addition, a national review process was introduced in April this year aimed at learning lessons following a death where domestic abuse is known or suspected.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
