Domestic Violence - Fact Sheet

Lorraine Radford, (Roehampton Institute), Marianne Hester and Chris Pearson, (School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol) - May 1998

Almost half (44%) of all incidents reported by women to the British Crime Survey were domestic violence incidents. (British Crime Survey 1996, Home Office).

Since 1981, the largest increase in violent crimes has been in incidents of domestic violence (British Crime Survey 1996, Home Office).

A number of local surveys in the UK show between 1 in 3 and 1 in 4 women report having suffered domestic violence at some time in their adult lives.

A household survey of 430 women in a London borough found that 1 in 3 women had experienced domestic violence at some time in their lives, 12% had been victims of domestic violence in the past year (Jayne Mooney (1993) The Hidden Figure: Domestic Violence in North London, Middlesex University Centre for Criminology).

A survey of 484 women in Surrey's shopping centres found that 1 in 4 defined themselves as having suffered domestic violence from a male partner or ex-partner since the age of 18 years (Nicola Dominy & Lorraine Radford (1996) Domestic Violence in Surrey: Towards an Effective Inter-Agency Response, Surrey Social Services / Roehampton Institute).

A survey of 281 women attending GP surgeries in West London found that 1 in 3 (33%) reported suffering abuse from a male partner (Alison McGibbon, Libby Cooper & Liz Kelly (1988) What Support?, Child and Woman Abuse Study Unit, University of North London).

A recent survey of 129 women attending GPs surgeries in North London found 1 in 9 reported experiences of domestic violence serious enough to require medical attention in the past 12 months (Elizabeth Stanko, Debbie Crisp, Chris Hale and Hebe Lucraft (1997) Counting The Costs: Estimating The Impact of Domestic Violence in the London Borough of Hackney, Swindon: Crime Concern).

Similar findings are reported from research overseas. For example the largest recent survey of violence against women involved a telephone survey of over 11,000 women in Canada. One in three reported violence from their partners (Statistics Canada (1996) Survey on Violence Against Women in Canada).

A survey of 1000 women in city centres in North England found that 1 in 8 women reported having been raped by their husbands or partners (Painter, K. (1991) Wife Rape and The Law Survey Report: Key Findings And Recommendations, Department of Social Policy & Social Work, University of Manchester).

As many as 1 in 3 marriages that end in divorce involve domestic violence (Borkowski, Murch & Walker (1983) Marital Violence, Tavistock).

Each year, 45% of female homicide victims are killed by present or former male partners compared to 8% of male victims. On average, 2 women per week are killed in England and Wales by their partners/ex-partners (Criminal Statistics (1992) Home Office).

Repeat victimisation is common. Half of all victims of domestic violence are involved in incidents more than once (British Crime Survey 1996 Home Office).

Weapons are less likely to be used in assaults but victims of domestic violence are more likely to be injured (British Crime Survey 1996 Home Office).

1 in 4 incidents result in substantial physical injuries. 10% of 129 women surveyed in North London GP surgeries reported being knocked unconscious by their partners. 5% had sustained broken bones as a result of domestic violence. (Elizabeth Stanko, Debbie Crisp, Chris Hale and Hebe Lucraft (1997) Counting The Costs: Estimating The Impact of Domestic Violence in the London Borough of Hackney, Swindon: Crime Concern).

Women who are physically abused report physical injuries on average four occasions during a twelve month period (Jayne Mooney (1993) The Hidden Figure: Domestic Violence in North London, Middx University Centre for Criminology).

60% of 127 women resident in refuges in Northern Ireland experienced violence during pregnancy. 13% lost their babies as a result (Monica McWilliams & Joan McKiernan (1993) Bringing it out into the open, Belfast HMSO).

Domestic violence often continues and may escalate in severity after separation. As many as one-third of women who leave refuges experience continued abuse and harassment from their ex-partners (Binney, Harkell & Nixon, (1988) Leaving Violent Men, Bristol: WAFE).

Women are at greatest risk of homicide at the point of separation or after leaving a violent partner (Daly & Wilson (1988) Homicide, Aldane Gruyter).

Domestic violence is the least likely violent crime to be reported to the police. Only one out of three crimes resulting in injury are reported (British Crime Survey, 1996).

Women who suffer domestic violence are likely to under report incidents of abuse. In a study of 484 women's experiences of violence in Surrey, 2 out of 3 women who defined themselves as victims of domestic violence said they had not told family, friends or agencies about the abuse. (Dominy & Radford (1996) Domestic Violence in Surrey, Surrey Social Services/ Roehampton Institute).

Domestic violence has a major impact upon the health and welfare of women and children world-wide. The 1995 World Development Report by the United Nations shows, that on a world scale, it is a significant cause of disability and death (Social Services Inspectorate (1996) Domestic Violence and Social Care).

5% of health years of life are lost world-wide by women because of domestic violence (Social Services Inspectorate, 1996).

Psychologists in the USA have found parallels between the effects of domestic violence on women and the impact of torture and imprisonment on hostages (Graham, P. Rawlings E. & Rimini, W. (1988) 'Survivors of Terror: Battered Women, Hostages and the Stockholm Syndrome' in K. Yllo & M. Bograd (eds) Feminist Perspectives On Wife Abuse, London, Sage).

Research has shown that these effects include low self esteem, dependence upon the perpetrator, feelings of hopelessness about ending the violence, a tendency to minimise or deny the violence (Kirkwood, C. (1993) Leaving Abusive Partners, London: Sage).

Victims of marital rape suffer many of the same reactions as other victims of rape, including very severe depression and suicidal tendencies. Feelings of shame and degradation prevent women from talking about this form of abuse (Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association (1992) Physicians and Domestic Violence: Ethical Considerations' in Journal of American Medical Assoc., 267: 3190-3).

Domestic violence is a factor in 1 in 4 suicide attempts by women (Stark, E. Flitcraft, A. & Frazier, W. (1979) Medicine And Patriarchal Violence: The Social Construction of A 'Private' Event, International Journal of Health Services, 9 (3) pp. 461-93).