ISSUES
: Domestic Violence
Chapter 1: Domestic violence
2
Domestic violence is now out in the open
but the figures show just how endemic
it is
An article from
The Conversation
.
By Anne Lazenbatt, NSPCC Reader in Childhood Studies, Queen’s University Belfast and John Devaney,
Senior Lecturer, Queen’s University Belfast
D
omestic violence is physically,
emotionally, psychologically
and socially devastating
to women and can have similarly
devastating effects on their infants
and children. The Home Office
highlights that while domestic
violence can be directed at men by
women and can happen in same-
sex relationships, the unequivocal
majority of domestic abuse (more
than 77%) is committed by men
against women. In the UK, one in
four women experiences domestic
violence and this violence accounts
for almost a quarter of all crime.
This violence can take many forms
including physical (hitting, kicking,
restraining), sexual (including assault,
coercion, female genital mutilation),
psychological
(verbal
bullying,
undermining, social isolation) and
financial (withholding money or
demanding unrealistic expectations
with the household budget). The
human cost to victims and families
can be enormous, including the
breakdown in relationships and
families, and a reduction in life
opportunities for individuals and
children.
A view from Northern
Ireland
We’ve been researching the
devastating effects of domestic
violence on women and children in
Northern Ireland for the past ten years
and what we’ve found gives a good
picture of how and where violence
happens. Like the UK figure, one in
four women in Northern Ireland will
likely experience domestic violence
at some point in their lives, and some
11,000 children live with domestic
violence.
This can have immediate and lifelong
traumatic effects to health and well-
being. Statistics from the Police
Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
show that thereweremore than 27,500
incidents of domestically motivated
violence in 2013–14 – this accounts
for a third of all reported crimes and
corresponds to a domestic incident
every 19 minutes of every day of the
year.
The British Crime Survey suggests
that women are at greater risk of
repeat victimisation and serious
injury; 89% of those suffering four or
more incidents are women. However,
the problem appears slightly greater
in Northern Ireland, where the NI
Crime Survey revealed that almost
half (49%) of women with repeat
victimisation experienced domestic
violence from a perpetrator on more
than one occasion, and that a quarter
(27%) were victimised on four or more
occasions. For 56% of this group the
violence and abuse started around
the time of pregnancy and delivery of
a baby.
We know that domestic violence has
serious health consequences and is
a common cause of physical injury;
depression and alcohol/drug misuse;
self-harm and suicide and has serious
effects in pregnancy and older age.
In its most extreme form, domestic
violence kills women – seven women
were killed in Northern Ireland in 2013.
Only around a quarter of women ever
report their worst assault to the police,
and, on average, a victim is assaulted
35 times before reporting the incident
or seeking support. It has also been
estimated that only 29% of domestic
violence incidents are reported and in
reality, we do not know the full extent
of the problem. In 2013, Women’s Aid
(NI) provided refuge to 1,077 women
and 854 children, with 2,938 women
accessing their floating support
service, which enables women to
access support while remaining in
their own homes and communities.
Vulnerable groups
Women are vulnerable to violence at
certain times of their life. Pregnancy is
seen as a period of significant risk and
it is well-recognised that domestic
violence is more likely to begin or
escalate during this time. Of women
who suffer abuse, 35% experience
an increase during pregnancy and the
post-natal period leading to increased
rates of depression and anxiety and
substance misuse.
Older women aged over 50 who are
victims of domestic violence are also
a vulnerable group and may suffer
silently because the problem is often
ignored. These older women face
serious barriers to accessing support
and are offered few appropriate
services when they manage to enter
the service system. Psychological
abuse has the strongest impact on
older women’s lives by destroying
their self-confidence, self-efficacy
and coping abilities.
Children and adolescents are
extremely vulnerable to domestic
violence. Within the UK it is estimated
that up to one million children have
been exposed to domestic violence,
yet, in spite of these stark statistics,
there has until recently been a
systemic failure by public agencies
to appreciate that the presence
of domestic violence should be
an indicator of the importance of
assessing children’s need for support
and protection if they live in the same
household as the victim.
Alarmingly, between 55% and 90%
of domestic violence occurs when
