Unveiling gaps in domestic abuse data: Women’s Aid calls for comprehensive understanding

Women’s Aid recently posted a blog shedding light on the existing gaps in domestic abuse data and the urgent need for a more comprehensive understanding of women’s experiences.

The blog delves into the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) annual domestic abuse data bulletin for the year ending March 2023, revealing both the progress made and the critical areas where information is lacking.
In their blog, Women’s Aid emphasises the importance of data in shaping effective responses to domestic abuse, as it helps identify vulnerable individuals, likely perpetrators, and underlying causes. Despite the available data, significant gaps persist, leaving crucial questions unanswered about the lived experiences of women enduring this abhorrent crime.

The ONS figures for the year ending March 2023 indicate that one in four women (27%) has experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16, compared to one in seven men (13.9%). When focusing on partner abuse, the gendered nature becomes more apparent, with figures of 22.7% for women and 10.2% for men. Despite a slight decrease in the number of women experiencing domestic abuse from 1.7 million to 1.4 million, caution is urged due to potential data errors and the influence of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The blog underscores the “hidden” gender asymmetry in these statistics, pointing out that they lack context, impact, and information on repeat victimisation. To address this, Women’s Aid collaborated with leading researchers to develop a prevalence measure incorporating coercive control and abuse impact, which was added to the Crime Survey in April 2023. The hope is that this addition will provide a more nuanced understanding of domestic abuse.

Furthermore, the ONS data on domestic homicides highlights the gendered nature of this crime. Over the three years ending March 2022, 67.3% of domestic homicide victims were female, with a staggering 241 out of 249 female victims having male suspects, mostly partners or ex-partners.

The blog acknowledges critical gaps in the data, such as victim suicides in the context of domestic abuse and the experiences of Black and minoritised women. Notably, a report by Imkaan and the Centre for Women’s Justice revealed the absence of data on intimate partner killings of Black and minoritised women by men.

Amidst significant changes since 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and rising living costs, Women’s Aid emphasises the increasing need for more accurate and comprehensive data on domestic abuse. The blog concludes with a poignant reminder that every data point represents a woman or child who should feel safe in their homes – a fundamental human right that must be upheld and protected.