Domestic abuse
and housing

Women are far more likely than men to experience severe and repeated domestic abuse. Statistics show that women are nearly twice as likely to be affected—5.7% of women compared to 3.2% of men.

In the year leading up to March 2023, women made up 73.5% of domestic abuse victims. That’s around 1.4 million women compared to 751,000 men.

Domestic abuse-related crimes are increasing. In England and Wales, police recorded 910,980 domestic abuse-related crimes by March 2022—a 7.7% rise from the previous year. This continues a worrying trend.

Source: Crime Survey for England and Wales, year ending March 2023

Most survivors seek help multiple times before they get the support they need—on average, five times. This shows that current support systems aren’t working well enough. Women experiencing domestic abuse typically wait 2.3 years before asking for help.

Domestic abuse is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men—94.6% of abusers are male, and 73% are current or former partners.

In England last year, over 10,000 women trying to escape domestic abuse could not find safe housing due to a lack of refuge spaces. Many of these women were at risk of homelessness or were forced to return to unsafe situations.

Source: SafeLives (2022), The Guardian (April 2023)

Domestic abuse-related crimes made up 16.2% of all police-recorded offences in 2023. Women remain disproportionately affected, with 73.5% of victims being female.

These numbers only scratch the surface. Many survivors regularly interact with professionals and community members who could help recognise the signs and offer support before their situation becomes a crisis.

Source: Crime Survey for England and Wales, year ending March 2023