Refuge urges for funding surge as latest ONS domestic abuse figures show sharp rise

The government is not on track to fulfil its pledge to halve violence against women and girls says national charity Refuge in response to the latest domestic abuse figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Around 4.7 million people (9.6%) reported experiencing domestic abuse this year ending March, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).

Year-on-year, these numbers have risen by 3.8 million (7.8%) from the year ending March 2025, the ONS reports, stating that the latest estimates “show a large increase in the prevalence of domestic abuse”, however it is “too early” to identify a trend.

The rise in numbers was “driven by a significant increase in partner abuse”, the survey revealed, as figures showed a 7.9% increase in partner abuse being recorded by respondents, up from 6.1% the previous year.

Questions around domestic abuse form the CSEW and had remained largely unchanged since its inception in 2004 before new questions were introduced to the survey this year, the ONS explained, acknowledging this may have “influenced” the size of increase of domestic abuse reports being recorded.

Despite this, public affairs lead at Refuge, Alice Russell-Harris, urged for more to be done to fund the government’s violence against women and girls (VAWG) pledge in reaction to the ONS figures.

Russell-Harris speculated these figures likely represent the “tip of the iceberg” due to domestic abuse often going unseen and unreported.

“While ONS has highlighted that changes in data collection, such as the introduction and implementation of new survey questions, may have contributed to this increase, what remains steadfast is our concern that the government is not on track to fulfil its pledge,” she said.

“Refuge has been clear that this ambitious goal is simply not achievable without sustainable, long-term funding for specialist domestic abuse services, but we have yet to see a financial commitment that matches the scale needed for every survivor to access timely support.”

She continued: “Ahead of next week’s Autumn Budget, we urge the Government to provide the vital investment required to meet rising demand. Specialist support services, and the survivors which depend on them, cannot afford to bear the brunt of underfunding any longer.”

In November, the ONS will produce its annual compendium of domestic abuse statistics, aiming to give better insight into the characteristics of victims and abusive behaviours experienced.

This will collate data from the CSEW, police recorded crime (PRC) and other related organisations across the criminal justice system, and an evaluation will then be published in December.