Facts and figures about domestic abuse in the UK: [1]
- Over 25% of reported violent crime is domestic violence.
- A review of domestic violence murders in London found 76% occurred after the victim had ended the relationship.
- On average, a woman will be assaulted by her partner or ex-partner 35 times before reporting it to the police.
- Every minute in the UK, the police receive a call from the public for assistance for domestic violence. This amounts to an estimated 1,300 calls a day.
- In any one day, nearly 7,000 women and children are sheltering from violence in refuges in the UK.
- It is estimated that one in four women will experience domestic violence at some time in their lives.
- 37% of women homicide victims are killed by present or former partners, compared to 6% of men. This means that one in every three days or two women per week.
- One in five young men and one in ten young women think that abuse or violence against women is acceptable.
- Four in ten teenage girls believe it is acceptable for a boyfriend to become aggressive with his girlfriend under some circumstances.
- A Home Office-funded study in 2008 found that rroughly 3,000 forced marriages take place in the UK each year
Facts and figures about domestic abuse in London: [3]
- In Greater London, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) attend around 300 domestic violence incidents every 24 hours.
- The cost of domestic violence to the Criminal Justice System in London is ?142 million a year. The largest single component is that of the police. Other components include prosecution, courts, probation, prison, and legal aid.
- The cost of domestic violence to the London Region of the NHS is £195 million a year. This includes costs to GPs and hospitals. Physical injuries account for most of the NHS costs (£170 million), but there is an important element of mental health care, estimated at an additional ?25 million per annum.
- The annual cost of domestic violence to Social Services is almost £32 million a year. (This is Largely for children rather than adults and includes child abuse.)
- Expenditure on emergency housing related to domestic violence includes both costs to the local authority housing department and to housing associations. It includes housing those homeless because of domestic violence, housing benefit for such emergency housing, and refuge projects. In London, this amounts to £22 million a year.
Facts and figures about Aanchal:
- Since 1984, Aanchal has provided support, advice and assistance to about 14,000 women and children.
- In 2007 alone Aanchal received 8,000 calls on its helpline, supported 245 women with issues surrounding legal advice, housing, benefits, debt advice and court injunctions. Aanchal also delivered 200 counselling sessions to women over the phone
- Stats for 2008 (7 month period - to date):
- Number of telephone calls on helpline: 6,065
- Number of counselling sessions over the phone: 240
- Women helped through support groups: 3,168 attendances
- Number of women attending our English classes: 560
- Number of women attending self development sessions: 120
1. Sources: British Crime Survey England & Wales, 2000; Violence against Women, London RCOG, 1997; Criminal Justice 1:2, 2000; Home Office, 1999; Metropolitan Police Service; 2003; Teen Magazine.
2. Women who have moved to the UK to marry a British national need their husbands to sponsor their stay and to support their claim for indefinite leave to remain when their spousal visa runs out. If they leave their husbands, they cannot access any state support such as housing or welfare benefits. This is what is referred to as "no recourse to public funds"
3. Mayor of London's Office, The Second Domestic Violence Strategy, November 2005
