Domestic abuse continues to cast a long shadow across England and Wales said one family law professional as the latest data on the prevalence of domestic abuse in society was revealed in the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. Alarmingly, domestic abuse-related offences accounted for more than 15% of all crimes recorded by police in the last year.
Despite a fall in the number of domestic abuse-related crimes recorded by police in England and Wales, reflecting a change in recording practices, there was a 7% increase in the number of prosecutions in 2024/25 compared with 2023/24. The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that approximately 3.8 million people (7.8% of the population) aged 16 years and over experienced domestic abuse in 2024/25. An estimated 2.2 million females (9.1%) and 1.5 million males (6.5%) experienced domestic abuse in the last year.
The police recorded 816,493 domestic abuse-related crimes in England and Wales 2024/24. The previous year saw 851,062 but the 54,987 related prosecutions was an increase on the previous years’ 51,183.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) received more referrals in 2024/25 than the previous year for a charging decision and the charging rate also increased for the fourth year running to 79.9% compared with 79.0% in 2023/24. The CPS charged 53,919 suspects in domestic abuse-related cases in 2024/25. However it is still the case reasons not to charge include where
- there is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction
- it is not in the public interest
- the victim is not willing, or may feel unable to support a prosecution.
But behind these statistics lie ‘stark challenges’ warned Rosie Schumm, Family Partner at Forsters.
“Conviction rates have fallen for the second consecutive year to 74.7%, meaning nearly 14,000 out of 54,987 domestic abuse-related prosecutions did not result in a conviction. Over 6,600 of these collapsed due to complainant-related issues, such as victim retraction or non-attendance at trial. This is not just a statistic – it’s a warning, highlighting the urgent need for better victim support.
“Securing prosecutions is not enough if the cases collapse before trial. The justice system must do more than improve efficiency; it must strengthen support for victims at every stage, ensuring they have the confidence and resources to see justice through.
“It is important to remember that these statistics represent people affected by domestic abuse. The figures demonstrate both gradual progress in enforcement and persistent gaps in protection.”
The ONS data comes as the government hailed the success of domestic abuse protection orders (DAPO) which launched in November 2024. DAPOs are currently live in Greater Manchester, in three London boroughs, Cleveland and North Wales. They are also used by the British Transport Police. It is expected a national roll out will follow.
Since they launched more than 1,000 have been issued.
They cover all forms of domestic abuse, including economic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, stalking and ‘honour’-based abuse. They can be issued by all courts and applied for not only by the police, but also by third parties such as local authorities, charities and social services, or even by victims themselves. Breaching an order is a criminal offence punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said:
“I know from first-hand experience the devastating impact domestic abuse has on victims.
“But with more than 1,000 domestic abuse protection orders issued across England and Wales, we are taking real, practical steps to protect victims that really do make a difference.
“This is more than words – I will do whatever it takes to make this country safer for women and girls.”
Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, added:
“These protection orders are the first and strongest of their kind. Victims need more than promises – they need real action, which is what we’ve delivered as part of our Plan for Change.”
“Over 1,000 domestic abuse protection orders issued means over 1,000 victims protected from abuse. We will ensure the same for thousands more as part of our mission to halve the epidemic that is violence against women and girls in this country.”
