Information for students

Facts & figures about domestic violence

Domestic violence is overwhelmingly a crime against women, and it affects women from every class, ethnic origin and religion.

• One in four women experiences domestic violence over their lifetimes. Between 6% and 10% of women suffer domestic violence in a given year. (Council of Europe, 2002)
• The estimated cost to society of domestic violence is £23 billion per annum. This includes an estimated £3.1 billion as cost to the state, £1.3 billion as cost to employers and human suffering cost of £17 billion. These figures are recognised as an under-estimate. (Walby & Allen, 2004)
• The police receive a call every minute for assistance with domestic violence in the UK. This amounts to an estimated 1,300 calls a day or over 570,000 per year. (Stanko, 2000)
• British Crime Survey research found that women are most commonly sexually assaulted by men they know. (Myhill & Allen, 2002)

Why women don't leave.

• More than half (52%) suffered embarrassment and shame (YouGov 2004)
• Women are at greatest risk of homicide at the point of separation or after leaving a partner (Lees, 2000)
• 60% of women left the abuser because they feared being killed. A further 54% left because of the affect of the
  abuse on their children. (Humphreys & Thiara, 2002)
• For the majority of women, leaving the partner stopped the violence, but 37% said it did not. (Walby & Allen, 2004)

Other sources of information you might find useful to consult:

• Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) at London Metropolitan University at:www.cwasu.org
• Women's Aid Federation, England (WAFE) at: www.womensaid.org.uk
• Violence Against Women Initiative at: http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/
  domesticviolence/domesticviolence19.htm
• Home Office RSD publications at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds
• Crown Prosecution Service at: www.cps.gov.uk/publictions

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