The intervention of family and friends led to the arrest of serial rapist Christopher Malcolm, who was jailed for his crimes. His former fiancée, identified as Amy, said she would have married him had her loved ones not acted.
Amy's family and friends reported their concerns for her welfare to Police Scotland's disclosure scheme for domestic abuse. They supplied evidence, including text messages and photos of her injuries, which helped officers build a case to arrest Malcolm in September 2024.
Amy, who was due to marry Malcolm four weeks after his arrest, subsequently gave a full report of the rapes, assaults, and abuse she had experienced. She told the BBC that she believes her family, friends, and the police involved in her case saved her life.
Police Scotland stated that in cases where abuse survivors are reluctant to make reports, officers will look for a range of evidence not dependent on the survivor, such as body-worn video, phone analysis, injury photographs, medical evidence, and histories of previous incidents.