The Big Lottery Fund has awarded more than £12 million to projects working with victims of domestic abuse across Scotland.

Helping to support a total of 24 projects, the Becoming A Survivor programme will support advocacy and welfare advice projects to help women, families or men affected by domestic abuse to move on. It will also pay for help with housing, including refuges for those who have lived through domestic abuse.

Jackie Killeen, Scotland director of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "The latest police figures indicate the number of reported domestic abuse incidents in Scotland have risen over the last year, so we know this is an area where our funding is desperately needed."

NHS Lanarkshire's three-year Lanarkshire Domestic Abuse Response project is to receive £701,030 to pay for advocacy work. Ann Hayne, a board manager, said: "Each woman affected by domestic abuse needs different kinds of support and services at different times."