Volunteering

Facts & figures about domestic violence

Volunteers often like to have some simple facts and figures about domestic violence.

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

• 1 in 4 European women experience domestic violence over their lifetimes and between 6-10% of women suffer during a given year (Council of Europe, 2002)
• No other type of crime has such a high rate of repeat victimisation. 57% of victims of domestic violence are involved in more than one incident. (Home Office 2002)
• The link between child physical abuse and domestic violence is high, estimates ranging from 30% to 66% (Humphreys & Thiara, 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 & Thiara, 2002)
• In any one year, there are 13 million separate incidents of physical violence or threats of violence against women from partners or former partners. (Walby & Allen, 2004)
• On average, 2 women a week are killed by a male partner or former partner: this constitutes around one-third of all female homicide victims. (Povey [ed], 2005)
• During 2006-7, the Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline answered an average of 387 calls per day: 500 a day on weekdays, 250 on Saturdays and 200 on Sundays. (Women's Aid)

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