Safeguarding Children Abused through Domestic Abuse
Last updated: January 7, 2009
Table of Contents
2. Definition
Domestic abuse is defined by the Home Office as:
‘Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been, intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality’. Consequently, acts such as, forced marriage & so called “honour crimes” (including abduction & homicide) now come under the definition of domestic abuse’.
The main characteristic of domestic abuse is that the behaviour is intentional and is calculated to exercise power and control within a relationship.
Most domestic abuse is perpetrated by men against women, and this procedure provides guidance on safeguarding the children caught up in the abuse. This procedure refers to the victim/survivor as female and the perpetrator as male as this reflects the majority of cases where there are child protection concerns. However agencies should apply the procedure to all situations of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse can also be perpetrated by women against men, within same sex relationships, and to or from a child or adult a carer may be caring for.
2.i Key facts about domestic abuse are:
- Domestic abuse accounts for a quarter of all violent crimes
- Domestic abuse has the highest rate of repeat victimisation of all crimes. Women experience on average 35 incidents before asking for help
- An average of two women are killed by their present or former partner in the UK each week
- Women are at greatest risk when they attempt to leave and for several months afterwards (22% of women were assaulted following separating)
- Half of domestic abuse victims are mothers
- About 30% of domestic abuse starts during pregnancy; where domestic violence has already existed in a relationship, pregnancy causes its escalation
- Women in the 16-24 age group have the highest risk of being victims of domestic abuse.
- Alcohol is a contributing factor in 32% of domestic abuse incidents
- Nearly 750,000 children a year witness domestic abuse
- More than one third of children affected by domestic abuse are aware it is happening. This rises to over half when domestic abuse is repeated
- 90% of children are in close proximity to a domestic abuse incident when it occurs
- In approximately a third to two thirds of domestic abuse cases there is also child physical and sexual abuse involving the same abusive partner
- Nearly three quarters of children on the Child Protection Register live in households where domestic abuse occurs
- Domestic abuse causes 16% of homelessness nationally
- Half of women using mental health services have experienced domestic abuse
- One in five young men still think violence against a partner is acceptable. 1 in 10 young women also believe this
- A third of all women and 50% black and minority ethnic women who attempt suicide and self-harm have experienced domestic abuse
- 36% of domestic abuse occurs when the couple are no longer living together
