Family of murdered Stacy Hunter say new misogyny bill would not have protected her

The family of Stacy Hunter has called for immediate action to protect victims of domestic abuse, after plans for a misogyny bill were announced by the Scottish government.

First Minister John Swinney announced plans to recognise misogyny as a "distinct form of prejudice and abuse" during his programme for government on Tuesday, alongside a public health campaign to target toxic male behaviour.

Stacy was murdered by her estranged husband, Jim Mair, at her home near Houston in Refrewshire in July. He was on bail for attacking her. His body was found nearby.

Her family is calling for tougher action on offenders.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Mornings programme, Stacy's brother said some aspects of the proposals were important but they are not "anywhere near good enough".

Sean Hunter said he did not believe what happened to his sister was down to attitudes.

"If these bills and health campaigns were introduced 30 or 40 years ago and were successful, I don't think that would've stopped what happened," he said.

"People that are repeatedly offending and are dangerous, they are not listening to advice or taking on board what's right or wrong. They are choosing to do whatever they want to do.

"I think the main way of stopping that is more action towards reprimanding them, having real consequences to their actions and deterring them for doing that not trying to appeal to their better nature."

Swinney used his programme for government speech to say he would ensure "harassment and abuse based on misogyny is outlawed".

The bill is also expected to include proposals to recognise pregnancy as an aggravating factor in domestic abuse cases, and provide emergency funds for those leaving abusive partners.

Stacy's family said concerns for the "safety of people right now" have not been addressed.

Her relatives are backing a campaign calling for high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators or suspects released on bail to have their location monitored using GPS equipment.

This could include individually assessed exclusion zones around victim's homes or workplaces, and alerts that trigger police responses when conditions are breached.

Scottish ministers have previously faced criticism over the slow rollout of Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment, which is used far less in Scotland than in some other countries.

Justice Secretary Neil Gray said tackling violence against women and girls is a "top priority" for the government and part of that was addressing attitudes and influences.

Speaking on Mornings, he said: "We're taking steps at the moment to strengthen bail conditions and bail monitoring. We are looking to expand GPS technology, for instance."

Gray said the technology is available and he is looking to accelerate a "full roll-out and availability across the board" of the technology.

When asked if he could to commit to a roll-out by the end of the year, Gray said he "would check".

Stacy's mother Ann met the first minister last week to discuss the campaign. She said it "does seem like" Swinney wants to take action.

Sean Hunter said victims are consistently "let down" by their abusers being bailed. His sister's killer had been granted bail for attacking her three weeks before the murder.

The Hunters want more consideration for victims during the bail process, as well as more repercussions for breaking bail conditions.

Earlier, First Minister John Swinney said he had been "significantly affected" after meeting Stacy's mother - as well as domestic abuse survivor Danielle MacDonald - over the summer.

He told the BBC's Radio Scotland Breakfast programme: "I cannot begin to understand or appreciate the scale of suffering that all of the loved ones of the women who have lost their lives, or been affected by violence over the summer or all time, are experiencing.

"I want to use my role as first minister to do something about it."

Tackling violence against women has been a long-held mission for Scottish politicians.

But what will it take to truly root out what the first minister recently described as "an epidemic", and protect women who are at risk right now?

John Swinney spent much of the summer listening to survivors, families, and those working in the sector, as part of an effort to find the answers.

I'm told an early August meeting with Danielle MacDonald, who suffered at the hands of her husband for years, had a profound impact on him.

That, coupled with a series of tragic cases in recent weeks, spurred the government into action. It's clear Swinney is now personally invested in addressing the issue.

So could this be a watershed moment?

There's no doubt there will be cross-party backing for misogyny legislation, and a campaign to tackle behaviour has been well-received.

Likewise, organisations working in the sector have welcomed promises of multi-year funding and an end to a postcode lottery of provision - although they await the details.

Others are disappointed they did not hear more from the first minister on changes in the criminal justice system.

Of course, this is a complex, multi-faceted problem. And after making such a strong commitment on change, Swinney will be judged on whether he can deliver.

Radio Scotland Mornings have spoken to the Hunter Family as part of a series on violence against women - you can listen to the full programme here.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line.