
Talking Points
Statistics you need to know about Domestic Abuse in the UK alone.
Shocking Statistics show that:
- 10.4 million adults (aged 16+) in England and Wales have experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16. This equates to a prevalence rate of approximately 22 in 100 adults.
- Crime Survey England and Wales (2022). [Accessed 4th January 2024]
- A quarter of 13–18 year old girls report experiencing physical abuse in their own intimate partner relationships,and one-third report experiencing sexual abuse.
How many people die as a result of domestic abuse?
- Between 2020 and 2022, 186 women were murdered by their male partner or ex-partner in England and Wales. In comparison, 30 men were murdered by their female partner or ex-partner.1 This means 1.8 women a week – or 8 a month – are killed by a current or ex-partner in England and Wales.
- According to the Femicide Census from 2009 to 2018, 62% of women were killed by their current or ex-partner from 2009 to 2018. The risk of serious assault and death is highest for a woman after she leaves an abusive relationship. Of the women killed by partners or former partners, 43% were known to have separated or to be attempting to separate, which is likely to be an undercount.
- It is estimated that 1 in 8 women take their own lives as a result of domestic abuse: every day almost 30 women attempt suicide as a result of experiencing domestic abuse and every week three women take their own lives.
- In 2020-21, there were over 30 domestic abuse related suicides reported by the police, a likely underestimate as only those with a history of abuse were included.
- In a study of 32 Domestic Homicide Reviews, a quarter were family-related homicide, with most of those cases involving a parent killed by their adult child.
Domestic Abuse does not discriminate - is not selective - is a scourge to be ERADICATED.
- Key statistics about domestic abuse in England and Wales
- 3.8 million people aged 16 and over in England and Wales are estimated to have experienced some form of domestic abuse in the last year ending March 2025.
- 2.2 million female (9.1% of women) and 1.5 million male (6.5% of men) victims.
- Domestic abuse in England and Wales overview: November 2025
- 1 in 4 people aged 16 and over in England and Wales are estimated to have experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16.
- Domestic abuse in England and Wales overview: November 2025
- Each year more than 75,000 people in the UK are at high and imminent risk of being murdered or seriously injured as a result of domestic abuse.
- SafeLives Marac national dataset (2023)
- Women are much more likely than men to be victims of severe domestic abuse
- Walby, S., & Towers, J.S. (2017). Measuring Violence to End Violence: Mainstreaming Gender, Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 1(1), 11-31.
- 92% of people accessing an Idva (Independent Domestic Violence Advisor)service were women.
- SafeLives. (2023). Insights Idva dataset 2022-23.
- 94% of people going to Marac (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference) were women.
- SafeLives. (2023). Marac data 2022-23 England and Wales.
- 1.3 million domestic abuse related incidents and crimes were recorded by police in England and Wales, in the year ending March 2025.
- Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales: year ending March 2025
- Eight women a month are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales.
- SafeLives Marac national dataset (2023)
- 6.1% of people aged 16 years and over experienced partner abuse by a current or ex-partner in the last year ending march 2025 and 2.7% experienced abuse by a family member in the last year ending march 2025.
- Domestic abuse in England and Wales overview: November 2025
- 22.5% of people experienced abuse by a partner since the age of 16 years. and 8.7% experienced abuse by a family member since the age of 16 years.
- Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales: year ending March 2025
- Over 105,000 children live in homes where there is high-risk domestic abuse.
- SafeLives Marac national dataset (2023)
- 78% of children living with domestic abuse are directly harmed by the perpetrator of the abuse, in addition to the harm caused by witnessing the abuse of others.
- SafeLives Marac national dataset (2023)
- 2.5 years is the average time victims at high risk of serious harm or murder live with domestic abuse before getting help.
- SafeLives Insights Idva Dataset 2021-2022
- 73% of victims sought help two times on average from professionals in the year before they got effective help to stop the abuse.
- SafeLives Insights Dataset 2023
- Key statistics about domestic abuse in Scotland
- 64,967 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by police in 2024-25.
- An increase of 2% compared to the previous year. This figure remains below the peak in 2020-21.
- Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25
- Nine in ten (89%) domestic abuse incidents occurred in a home or dwelling in 2024-25.
- This figure can be split into 35% of incidents that occurred within the victim’s own home, 10% that occurred within a joint home, and 5% that occurred in the suspected perpetrator’s home. Over a third (38%) of incidents occurred in an ‘other dwelling’. The remaining 11% of incidents occurred in the street (5%), licensed premises (1%), or an ‘Other’ location (5%).
- Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024 to 2025
- Over four in five (81%) incidents where gender information was recorded involved a female victim and a male suspected perpetrator in 2024-25. This has remained unchanged since 2021-22.
- Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024 to 2025
- 4% of non-sexual crimes of violence were crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018. There were 2,573 crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 in 2024-25, the sixth year this legislation has been in place. This was a 26% increase compared to 2023-24 (from 2,042 to 2,573). Of those crimes, 94% (or 2,410) involved a female victim and 6% (or 163) had a male victim.
- Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25
- Over 30,200 charges were reported to COPFS (Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service) with a domestic abuse identifier in 2024-25. 92% of charges reported in 2024-25 were given an initial decision to proceed to court (at the time the data was extracted).
- Domestic abuse and stalking charges in Scotland 2024 – 2025
- 16.5% of adults said they had experienced at least one incident of partner abuse since the age of 16 in 2018/20
- Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2019/20: main findings
- Women were almost twice as likely as men to have experienced partner abuse (21.2% and 11.2% respectively).
- Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2019/20: main findings
- 33% of homicide victims recorded were female (15 out of 45) in 2024-25.
- Of the 15 female victims in 2024-25, 47% (seven victims) were killed by a partner or ex-partner.
- Homicide in Scotland 2024-25
- 42% of female victims were most likely to be killed by a partner or ex-partner over the past ten years.
- In comparison, most male victims were killed by an acquaintance (55%) and had a lower likelihood of being killed by a partner or ex-partner (4%).
- Whole Lives Scotland reports and recommendations
- More than 20% of operational police time is spent responding to domestic incidents.
- Whole Lives Scotland reports and recommendations
- 12,400 children in Scotland are estimated to be living with the highest-risk of domestic abuse.
- Whole Lives Scotland reports and recommendations
- Four years is the average duration of abuse before effective support is sought.
- Whole Lives Scotland reports and recommendations
- 62% of children exposed to domestic abuse are also directly harmed.
- CAADA: In Plain Sight: Effective help for child victims of domestic abuse (February 2014)
Research shows that Domestic Abuse is taking place with women in Church as well.
Research into domestic abuse in church communities found that, for many people, domestic abuse is seen as ‘private’ or ‘hidden’.
In contrast, being part of a community in which domestic abuse is talked and prayed about can encourage survivors to feel safe to come forward.
It also lets people know that you are committed to justice, and aren’t willing to sweep abuse or wrongdoing under the carpet.
CADA (Christians Against Domestic Abuse) in the North East of England is campaigning against Domestic Abuse against women in the church and provide much needed support to them.
For more info on how you can receive support from CADA make contact confidentially on their website :
https://www.cadanortheast.org/
Links to more information & help
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/types-of-abuse/domestic-abuse/
https://safelives.org.uk/about-domestic-abuse/supporting-friends-family/
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/getting-help-for-domestic-violence/
https://www.ncdv.org.uk/signs-of-domestic-abuse-violence/



