Domestic Abuse
The Welsh Government define domestic abuse as "the use of physical and/or emotional abuse or violence, including undermining self confidence, sexual violence or the threat of violence, by a person who is or has been in a close relationship". The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) are currently consulting on a national police definition. Domestic abuse is historically under reported, victims often fearing the consequences of making a report to the police, or not having enough confidence in the police to make contact.
In Gwent, our Chief Constable holds the ACPO Portfolio for Domestic Violence and Gwent has introduced a number of initiatives to challenge domestic abuse and the harm caused to victims, including the implementation of a national risk assessment model to identify vulnerabilities (DASH), a daily, multi-agency conference call to provide effective support and intervention to our most high risk victims and the development of Gwent Police's Workplace Policy on Domestic Abuse.
We recognise that many victims of domestic abuse face additional barriers in reporting incidents and accessing policing services. Male victims, people in same sex relationships, transgender people and people from different cultural backgrounds (including Gypsy/Traveller communities) may feel particularly isolated and fearful that if they do report they will not receive the right kind of support.
For more information on reporting any form of domestic abuse, we have created a dedicated website at http://www.policingdomesticabuseingwent.org.uk/
We have published sexual offences and domestic abuse data for 2009/10 and 2010/11
Key Facts:
- Gwent Police recorded nearly 3000 domestic abuse related crimes during 2010/11
- There were 69 incidents of domestic abuse per 10,000 adults in Wales in 2007/08 (equivalent to nearly 17,000 incidents) (EHRC - How Fair is Wales?)
- At least 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence in their lifetime and between 1 in 8 and 1 in 10 women experience it annually (Women's Aid)
- Less than half of all incidents are reported to the police, but they still receive one domestic violence call every minute in the UK (Women's Aid)
- Three-quarters of domestic abuse offences are repeat offences (British Crime Survey 2010/11)
- Research in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia figures suggest that approximately 1 in 4 LGBT people will experience domestic abuse (The LGBT Domestic Abuse Project)
- The NSPCC (2009) found that that 25% of girls and 18% of boys surveyed reported that they had experienced some form of physical violence, while nearly 75 per cent of girls reported that they had experienced some sort of emotional violence from partners
- Gypsy and Traveller women are less likely than other women to ask support services or the police for help because they worry that they will not be treated with respect or may face racism and prejudice. Some worry about the racial abuse a perpetrator might receive from the police and courts (EHRC Domestic Abuse and Equality - Gypsy and Traveller Women)
Useful Links:
The Government's Call to End Violence against Women and Girls
Statistics and information on LGB and Trans domestic abuse
EHRC Report into Domestic Abuse and Gypsy/Traveller Women
EHRC Report into discrimination faced by Gypsy and Traveller Communities
ACPO Guidance on Investigating Domestic Abuse
