SCOTTISH women reminded John Swinney today that “trust is earned” as the First Minister offered the “strongest personal leadership” in tackling domestic violence.

Mr Swinney’s remarks came after the recent murders of Vikki Soloman in Edinburgh and Stacy Mair in Renfrewshire.

Ms Mair’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.

Writing in the Sunday Post after meeting with domestic abuse survivor Danielle MacDonald at Bute House, the First Minister said: “Danielle was remarkable.

“She came to tell me, directly and in her own words, how the systems that were supposed to protect her failed to do so, and what must change so other women are not failed in the same way.

“The meeting took place in a week when the scale of violence against women has been laid bare.”

He highlighted how new figures show domestic homicide in Scotland has doubled in the space of a year, from six deaths to 12, adding: “I intend to give the strongest personal leadership to tackling male violence against women.

“This is not a women’s issue to be solved by women.

“It is a men’s issue, and it demands that men take responsibility for changing the culture and the behaviours that allow this violence to persist and, far too often, to escalate to fatal violence.”

But after seeing vital services cut despite reported domestic violence doubling locally, Mr Swinney’s pledge was met with a cautious welcome from Clydebank Women Supporting Women spokeswoman Dawn Brennan.

She said: “We are concerned that this will be another political soundbite rather than a concerted effort to protect women and girls.

“In July last year Clydebank lost Clydebank Women’s Aid, the only violence against women service based in the area. 

“Services are struggling to cope with the level of violence that women are experiencing and the lack of resources.

“This issue did not appear this week. 

“The First Minister has had years overseeing services and yet we find ourselves in a position where services are closing, or experiencing unmanageable requests for support. 

“So we may welcome this statement, but our trust has still to be earned.”