02/07/2025
On Caring For Someone Who Is In An Abusive Relationship.
If someone you care about is in an abusive relationship and you aren't certain how best to support them, or you are not understanding "why they don't just leave", then please have a good read of this page link below from Refuge (for Women & Children against Domestic Violence) which shares some helpful guidance of what to do and what not to do.
-Stat: The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that 2.3 million people aged 16 years and over (1.6 million women and 712,000 men) experienced domestic abuse in year ending 2024. For the year ending 2025, the most recent data indicates that approximately 8.0% of adults aged 16 and over in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse, which is equivalent to 3.9 million people.
Refuge share the following:
-93% of defendants in domestic abuse cases are male; 84% of victims are female.
-The police receive a domestic abuse-related call every 30 seconds. Yet it is estimated that less than 24% of domestic abuse crime is reported to the police.
-1 in 4 women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime. Domestic abuse feels incredibly isolating, but the numbers tell a different story: you are not alone.
-On average, one woman is killed by an abusive partner or ex every five days in England and Wales. If you are afraid of your partner, Refuge is here to help you. Always call 999 in an emergency.
-It takes, on average, 7 attempts before a woman is able to leave for good. Leaving an abusive partner is a process, not a single act.
-Domestic abuse is linked to depression and homelessness.
Women who experience domestic abuse are twice as likely to experience depression, and 40% of homeless women state domestic abuse as a contributory factor to their homelessness.
-Domestic abuse can lead women to su***de. It is estimated that around 3 women a week die by su***de as a result of domestic abuse.
-20% of children in the UK have lived with an adult perpetrating domestic abuse. That’s 1 in 5 kids.
-Young girls in the UK report high incidence of sexual violence. 41% of UK girls aged 14 to 17 in an intimate relationship experienced some form of sexual violence from their partner.
-Domestic abuse costs the UK an estimated £23 billion a year. It is not only weighing on our physical and emotional health, but also our economy.
-Domestic abuse can increase during pregnancy. 14% of Refuge’s service users reported being pregnant.
Links to the main DA organisations below in comments too. Please feel free to add links to other DA organisations/support agencies in your local area to the comments section.
Thank you for reading.
Lx
(Stats & Facts: National Crime Survey/Office for National Statistics and also Refuge website)
Image: Unruly Metals and Barbs Repair Broken Porcelain Dinnerware by Glen Taylor.
https://refuge.org.uk/what-is-domestic-abuse/support-someone-i-know-who-is-being-abused/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19856740749&gbraid=0AAAAADlq8PGeB5AhAap9QKUpkJCZbILO7&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3vmovtKejgMVlC2tBh2WeRxREAAYASAAEgIpl_D_BwE
