JSNA Health and Wellbeing Profile 2020/21 Domestic Abuse Definition Government consulted in March 2018 on a new statutory definition of domestic abuse to ensure that it is properly understood, considered unacceptable and actively challenged across statutory agencies and in public attitudes. The proposed definition expanded on the existing Government non-statutory definition by including the concept of economic abuse rather than simply financial abuse1. Domestic Abuse is defined as: • Behaviour by a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) is “domestic abuse” if— (a) A and B are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected, and (b) the behaviour is abusive. • Behaviour is “abusive” if it consists of any of the following— (a) physical or sexual abuse; (b) violent or threatening behaviour; (c) controlling or coercive behaviour; (d) economic abuse; (e) psychological, emotional or other abuse. Summary points • The rate of recorded domestic abuse incidents and crimes in Bristol is similar to that nationally • For Bristol in 2019/20, 39.2% of all recorded domestic abuse related crimes were a repeat incident. • In Bristol, females over the age of 16 are 3.2 times more likely to be a victim of a domestic abuse related crime than males. • Women in the 30-39 year old age bracket are most likely to experience a domestic abuse related crime. Findings Nationally2, it is estimated that 2.3 million adults aged 16 to 74 years (approx.1.6 million women and 757,000 men) experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020. The police recorded a total of 1,288,018 domestic abuse-related incidents and crimes in England and Wales (excluding Greater Manchester Policei) in the year ending March 20203. Women aged 16 to 19 years were more likely to be victims of any domestic abuse in the last year than women aged 25 years and over. Of crimes recorded by the police4: • in the year ending March 2020, the victim was female in 74% of domestic abuse-related crimes • between the year ending March 2017 and the year ending March 2019, 77% of victims of domestic homicide were female compared with 13% of victims of non-domestic homicide 1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-abuse-bill-2020-overarching-documents 2 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)– year ending March 2020 3 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)– year ending March 2020 4 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)– year ending March 2020 JSNA Health and Wellbeing Profile 2020/21 Theme: Wider Determinants In 2019/20, the rate of domestic abuse related crimes and incidents was 28.0 per 1000 for England5. Based on local police data, in 2019/20 the Bristol rate of domestic abuse related incidents and crimes per 1,000 population (aged 16 and over) was 28.8 per 1000, an increase from 26.8 per 1000 in 2018/19. Of those crimes and incidents that were recorded 62.5% met the definition of a crime, up from 59.6% in 2018/19. For Bristol in 2019/20, 39.2% of all recorded domestic abuse related crimes were a repeat incidentii. Repeat offences are defined as multiple offences committed against the same victim within 12 months of the latest offence. Figure 1 Rate of domestic abuse incidents and crimes 2019/20; Source: Avon & Somerset Constabulary Equalities data: Local data on the rate of domestic abuse related incidents and crimes iiiby ward is available for 2019/20 and highlights a significant variation in rates across the city, from 7.1 per 1000 in Redland to 79.9 per 1000 population in Hartcliffe & Withywood (Figure 1). There is an association between domestic abuse and poverty. Existing analyses in the UK and internationally have consistently found vulnerability to DVA to be associated with low income, economic strain, and benefit receipt6. Hartcliffe and Withywood is one of the most socio- economically deprived wards in Bristol according to local data.7 For the year ending March 2020, the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimated that 1.6 million women and 757,000 men aged 16 to 74 years experienced domestic abuse in the last year. This is a prevalence rate of approximately 7 in 100 women and 4 in 100 men. The CSEW showed that men and women aged 16 to 74 years with a disability were more likely to have experienced domestic abuse in the last year than those without. 5 Public Health Outcomes Framework 2021 https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/domestic%20abuse 6 University of Bristol, Evidence and policy review: Domestic violence and poverty: A Research Report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation 7 http://167.71.132.100/wards/hartcliffe_and_withywood/deprivation www.bristol.gov.uk/jsna Page | 2 JSNA Health and Wellbeing Profile 2020/21 Theme: Wider Determinants For the year ending March 2020, the CSEW showed that, of adults aged 16 to 74 years, those who were unemployed were more likely to have experienced domestic abuse within the last year than those who were employed or economically inactive. More than one in four gay men and lesbian women and more than one in three bisexual people report at least one form of domestic abuse since the age of 16. Lesbian women report similar rates of domestic abuse to that of heterosexual women. Bisexual women are twice as likely to disclose intimate partner violence compared to heterosexual women. Gay and bisexual men might be twice as likely to experience domestic abuse compared to heterosexual men. Prevalence rates of domestic abuse may be higher for transgender people than any other section of the population. LGBT+ survivors face distinct systemic and personal barriers in accessing services, due to their sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBT+ domestic abuse appears vastly underreported8. In Bristol, females over the age of 16 are 3.2 times more likely to be a victim of a domestic abuse related crime in Bristol than males. Women in the 30-39 year old age bracket are most likely to experience a domestic abuse related crime (at a rate of 44.7 per 1000). See Figure 2 and Figure 3 for the rate of domestic abuse related offences by gender and age. Figure 2 Rate of Domestic Abuse Related offences (crimes) 2019/20 by gender and age; Source: Avon & Somerset Constabulary, ONS Population Estimates 8 J. Magić and P. Kelley. Recognise & Respond: Strengthening advocacy for LGBT+ survivors of domestic abuse. Galop, London, 2019: http://www.galop.org.uk/recognise-respond-strengthening-advocacy-for-lgbt-survivors-of- domestic-abuse-2/ www.bristol.gov.uk/jsna Page | 3 JSNA Health and Wellbeing Profile 2020/21 Theme: Wider Determinants Figure 3 Relative Risk of Domestic Abuse Related Offences (Crimes) 2019/20 – Females vs Males by Age Group; Source: Avon & Somerset Constabulary, ONS Population Estimates Domestic abuse affects women from all ethnic groups, and there is no evidence to suggest that women from some ethnic or cultural communities are any more at risk than others. However, the form the abuse takes may vary; in some communities, for example, domestic abuse may be perpetrated by extended family members, or it may include forced marriage, or female genital mutilation (FGM)9. Whatever their experiences, women and men from Black, Asian or minority ethnic communities are likely to face additional barriers to receiving the help that they need. The 2020/21 Quality of Life survey found 7% of people perceive domestic abuse as a private matter, this dropped to 9% in deprived areas (from 15% last year). By ward, this varies from 1.4% in Clifton Down to 17.1% in Stockwood (figure 4). In the 10% most deprived areas of Bristol 9.4% of people think domestic abuse is a private matter, significantly higher than the 5% of people in the least deprived areas. By equality group, 14.3% of those aged over 65 years and 13.2% of disabled people thought it was a private matter. Other equalities groups where responses were significantly different to the Bristol average (7.1%) include: 14.7% of Asian people and 11.7% of Black people think domestic abuse is a private matter as do 21.2% of people with no qualifications and 13.4% of people living in local authority rented accommodation. 9 Women’s Aid 2021 https://www.womensaid.org.uk/the-survivors-handbook/women-from-bme-communities/ www.bristol.gov.uk/jsna Page | 4 JSNA Health and Wellbeing Profile 2020/21 Theme: Wider Determinants % who think Dometic Abuse is a private matter Avonmouth & Henbury & Lawrence Brentry Weston Southmead Horfield Westbury on Trym & Lockleaze Frome Henleaze Vale Bishopston & Ashley Stoke Down Eastville Bishop Redland Hillfields Ashley Clifton Cotham Easton Down St St George George Central 1 to 4 West Clifton Central St George Lawrence 5 to 8 Troopers Hill Hotwells & Hill 9 to 12 Harbourside 13 to 17 Southville Brislington Windmill West Hill Bedminster Brislington East Knowle Filwood Bishopsworth Quality of Life Survey Stockwood 2020/21 Hengrove & Whitchurch Hartcliffe & Park Withywood © Crown Copyright and database rights 2019. Ordnance Survey 100023406. Figure 4: % who think Domestic Abuse is a private matter. Source: Quality of Life survey 2020/21 Further data / links: • https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/DomesticAbuse • https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/domesti cabusevictimcharacteristicsenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2020 • https://www.gov.uk/crime-justice-and-law/violence-against-women-and-girls • https://www.bava.org.uk/ Date updated: March 2021 i Data for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) on domestic abuse-related incidents and crimes are not included in this publication because of issues with their data supply following the implementation of new IT systems. Any total police recorded crime data refer to England and Wales excluding GMP.