NEW laws to tackle violence against women are being planned to improve justice for thousands of victims.

Nicola Sturgeon said the government was determined to get legislation right and was consulting on whether new laws were needed on specific issues.

She said ministers were looking at a new specific crime of domestic abuse and how laws could tackle the problem of so called 'revenge porn'.

Ms Sturgeon was speaking at the Scottish Women's Aid conference in Edinburgh.

She said: "Domestic abuse in law can be challenging therefore we need to ensure that our legislation commands wide support, anticipates possible pitfalls, and allows us to prosecute the people who perpetrate these crimes. "If there is a consensus on what we need to do, we will legislate in this Parliament. But if we need to do further work with stakeholders to ensure we get this absolutely right, we will do so.

"Either way, we will make clear that on-going coercive and controlling behaviour is unacceptable; and that those who commit such crimes will face justice. We know that changing the law isn't enough on its own - but it can play an important part in the wider social and cultural changes we want to bring about."

The consultation is open until June 19.

Lily Greenan, Scottish Women's Aid, Chief Executive, said: "It is 20 years since the Beijing Platform for Action laid out the work that should be undertaken globally to improve and protect women's human rights. The Platform for Action identified violence against women as one of the critical areas of concern."

"Equal participation of women and men in decision making was also one of the goals of the Beijing declaration."