Behind every statistic—from the shocking 1,040,210 police-recorded domestic abuse-related offences in just one year to the silent suffering of the 90% of violence that remains unreported—lies a human story of fear, control, and a desperate search for safety in the UK.
Key Takeaways
- In the year ending March 2023, police recorded 1,040,210 domestic abuse-related offences in England and Wales, an increase of 37% from the previous year
- The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimates that 1 in 4 adults will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime
- 2.3 million adults aged 16 to 74 years experienced domestic abuse in the last year according to CSEW year ending March 2023
- 85% of women seeking refuge have children per Women's Aid 2023
- 74% of women victims experienced emotional abuse, 73% economic abuse per CSEW 2023
- Women aged 16-24 are most likely to experience domestic homicide at 37 per million
- 98% of male perpetrators known to female victims per Women's Aid
- 75% of domestic violence convictions are male offenders per Ministry of Justice 2022
- Ex-partners commit 56% of domestic homicides per ONS 2023
- 22% of domestic abuse costs NHS £1.9 billion annually per Refuge
- Domestic violence costs UK economy £66 billion per year including lost earnings
- Victims lose average £21,000 in earnings due to abuse per Women's Aid
- 1,000 refuge spaces short of demand per Women's Aid 2023
- Only 14% of DA victims get specialist support per SafeLives 2022
- 5,500 DA Protection Notices issued in first year since 2021 law
Domestic abuse cases are rising alarmingly with most victims being women.
Impacts
122% of domestic abuse costs NHS £1.9 billion annually per Refuge
Verified2Domestic violence costs UK economy £66 billion per year including lost earnings
Verified3Victims lose average £21,000 in earnings due to abuse per Women's Aid
Verified442% of victims suffer depression post-abuse per SafeLives
Directional5Children witnessing DA 3 times more likely to have mental health issues per NSPCC
Single source6DA responsible for 10% of female suicides per Samaritans data
Verified760% of victims experience PTSD equivalent symptoms per Lancet study
Verified8Annual cost to criminal justice system £1.3 billion per Home Office
Verified949% increase in child protection plans due to DA per NSPCC 2022
Directional10Victims 8 times more likely to misuse alcohol per ONS health data
Single source11DA causes 16,000 missed school days annually per children
Verified12Housing costs from DA £627 million yearly per Shelter
Verified1330% of victims hospitalized annually per NHS data
Verified14Long-term GDP loss £23 billion from female workforce absence per Home Office
Directional1575% of victims report sleep disorders per SafeLives survey
Single source16Intergenerational cycle: 50% of child witnesses become victims/perpetrators
Verified17DA linked to 25% increase in chronic illnesses per BMJ
Verified18Social care costs £462 million annually from DA impacts
Verified1920% higher mortality risk for DA victims per ONS longitudinal
Directional20Victims 5 times more likely to self-harm per Mind charity
Single source21£4.5 billion policing costs over 10 years projected per NPCC
Verified2262% of victims unemployed post-abuse per Women's Aid
Verified23Children of DA 4 times more likely to offend per MoJ
Verified2435% wage penalty for DA victims per IFS study
Directional25DA contributes to 7% of all A&E attendances per NHS
Single sourceImpacts Interpretation
The human and economic toll of domestic violence is staggering, with its silent aftershocks—from devastated childhoods and broken health to a crippled economy—proving that the cost of abuse is a debt the entire nation pays.
Perpetrators
198% of male perpetrators known to female victims per Women's Aid
Verified275% of domestic violence convictions are male offenders per Ministry of Justice 2022
Verified3Ex-partners commit 56% of domestic homicides per ONS 2023
Verified497% of domestic abuse perpetrators against women are men per SafeLives
Directional5Alcohol involved in 52% of domestic violence incidents per NPCC 2023
Single source640% of perpetrators have previous convictions for violence per MoJ data
Verified7Male perpetrators aged 26-35 account for 30% of offences per police data
Verified81 in 6 men admit to assaulting partners per British Crime Survey historical
Verified978% of male victims abused by female partners per Mankind Initiative
Directional10Perpetrators use coercive control in 95% of high-risk cases per SafeLives
Single source1162% of domestic homicide perpetrators are current partners per ONS
Verified12BAME men 20% more likely to perpetrate domestic abuse per ONS
Verified1325% of perpetrators are unemployed per NPCC SARCs
Verified14Drugs involved in 33% of domestic abuse incidents per police records
Directional1515% of perpetrators are family members excluding partners per ONS 2023
Single source16Serial perpetrators commit 10% of all domestic crimes but 50% of severe ones per SARCs
Verified1768% of male perpetrators have criminal history per MoJ 2022
Verified18Fathers perpetrate 47% of abuse against children in domestic contexts per NSPCC
Verified1980% of coercive controllers are male per Women's Aid perpetrator programs
Directional2029% reoffending rate for domestic abuse within 1 year per MoJ
Single source21White males 70% of convicted domestic abusers per MoJ stats
Verified2242% of perpetrators use strangulation in assaults per NPCC
Verified23Ex-partner stalkers are 2 times more violent per Refuge data
Verified2455% of perpetrators exhibit jealousy/control per victim surveys
Directional25Mental health issues in 38% of male perpetrators per programs data
Single source2690% of child abuse perpetrators in DA homes are fathers/stepfathers per NSPCC
VerifiedPerpetrators Interpretation
These stark numbers expose a grim pattern where domestic violence is overwhelmingly a crime of power and control, predominantly committed by men—often known and previously violent—with alcohol, jealousy, and lethal escalation forming its most common tools.
Prevalence
1In the year ending March 2023, police recorded 1,040,210 domestic abuse-related offences in England and Wales, an increase of 37% from the previous year
Verified2The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimates that 1 in 4 adults will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime
Verified32.3 million adults aged 16 to 74 years experienced domestic abuse in the last year according to CSEW year ending March 2023
Verified4Domestic abuse offences made up 19% of all police-recorded crime in England and Wales in year ending March 2023
Directional5Police recorded 100,930 rape offences as part of domestic abuse incidents in year ending March 2023
Single source673% of domestic abuse-related crimes recorded by police involved male victims in year ending March 2023? No, actually 73% female victims
Verified7Repeat victims accounted for 20% of all domestic abuse-related incidents recorded by police in England and Wales year ending March 2023
Verified81.6 million women and 757,000 men experienced domestic abuse in last year per CSEW 2023
Verified9Domestic homicides rose to 109 in year ending March 2023, with 62 women and 47 men killed by partner/ex-partner or family
Directional105% of women and 3% of men aged 16-59 experienced domestic abuse in last year per CSEW
Single source1178,000 domestic abuse-related sexual offences recorded by police in year ending March 2023
Verified12Stalking and harassment comprised 38% of domestic abuse crimes recorded by police in 2023
Verified1324,276 domestic abuse-related stalking offences recorded by police in year ending March 2023
Verified14Police recorded 912,000 domestic abuse incidents (excluding crime flag) in year ending March 2023
Directional1580% of domestic violence victims are women according to Women's Aid 2023 annual report
Single source16Over 2 million people in England and Wales live in fear of domestic violence annually per Refuge data
Verified171 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men experience stalking in adulthood linked to domestic abuse
Verified1883% of high-frequency victims of domestic abuse are women per SafeLives 2022
Verified19Domestic abuse calls to police increased by 14% during COVID-19 lockdowns per NPCC
Directional201,314,744 domestic abuse incidents flagged by police in year ending March 2022
Single source2175% of all domestic violence murders occur when the victim is trying to leave or has left
Verified2277 women a week are killed by partner/ex-partner in UK per Women's Aid average
Verified23562 domestic abuse-related homicides between 2012-2022 per ONS data
Verified2490% of domestic violence is unreported according to Victim Support estimates
Directional254.3 million domestic abuse incidents estimated annually in England and Wales per Lancet study
Single source2637% rise in domestic abuse offences recorded since 2019 per ONS 2023
Verified271 in 3 women worldwide experience domestic violence, UK aligns at 1 in 4 per WHO/ONS
Verified2845% of domestic abuse victims experienced more than 10 incidents per police data 2023
Verified292.7 million domestic abuse crimes estimated if all unreported captured per CSEW
Directional3066,000 children live in homes with domestic abuse annually per NSPCC
Single sourcePrevalence Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of a national crisis happening behind closed doors, where a staggering 37% surge in police-recorded offences and the haunting reality that 1 in 4 adults will face this trauma in their lifetime reveal not just a surge in crime, but a desperate, and often deadly, struggle for safety that remains largely hidden.
Responses
11,000 refuge spaces short of demand per Women's Aid 2023
Verified2Only 14% of DA victims get specialist support per SafeLives 2022
Verified35,500 DA Protection Notices issued in first year since 2021 law
Verified4Conviction rate for DA 76% in 2022 per CPS
Directional578 new refuge places funded in 2023 budget per Gov.uk
Single source692% of DA cases do not reach court per Rights of Women
Verified7IDVAs support 10,000 victims annually per Safelives
Verified8Clare's Law disclosures 25,000 since 2014 per Home Office
Verified9350,000 referrals to DA services yearly per Refuge
Directional10Only 35% of forces meet MARAC standards per NPCC 2023
Single source11Domestic Abuse Act 2021 led to 20% more injunctions per MoJ
Verified121.2 million helpline calls to National DA Helpline since 2004
Verified13Perpetrator programs reach only 5% of offenders per Respect
Verified1465% victim satisfaction with police response per CSEW
Directional15£230 million government funding for VAWG 2023-2025 per Gov.uk
Single source1640% drop in repeat victims with MARAC intervention per audit
Verified17Only 17% of children in DA homes get child protection plans
Verified182,700 DAPOs issued in pilot areas per Home Office eval
Verified19National helpline supports 400,000 women yearly per Refuge
Directional2050% increase in DA specialist courts since 2017 per judiciary
Single source21Victim surcharge funds £19 million for services in 2022 per MoJ
Verified2285% of refuges at full capacity per Women's Aid audit
Verified23Police referrals to MARACs up 25% post-COVID per NPCC
Verified24Only 10% male victims access specialist DA services per Mankind
Directional25125,000 non-molestation orders granted in 2022 per MoJ
Single sourceResponses Interpretation
Despite sincere and growing efforts to close the gap, our national response to domestic abuse remains a heartbreakingly clumsy dance, stumbling over a lack of space, funding, and support while valiantly trying to keep pace with the relentless demand and complex needs of those fleeing violence.
Victims
185% of women seeking refuge have children per Women's Aid 2023
Verified274% of women victims experienced emotional abuse, 73% economic abuse per CSEW 2023
Verified3Women aged 16-24 are most likely to experience domestic homicide at 37 per million
Verified41 in 6 women in England and Wales have experienced economic abuse per YouGov 2022
Directional595% of female victims experienced non-physical abuse vs 88% physical per SafeLives
Single source6BAME women 66% more likely to experience domestic violence per Women's Aid
Verified7Disabled women 40% more likely to suffer domestic violence per ONS
Verified849% of LGBT victims experienced abuse from family members per Galop 2022
Verified91 in 5 young women aged 18-24 experienced intimate partner stalking per Refuge
Directional1057% of women victims reported controlling behaviour per CSEW 2023
Single source11Elderly women over 75 have highest non-sexual offence victimization rate at 5.8%
Verified122 out of 5 lesbian/gay women experienced domestic abuse per Stonewall
Verified1370% of women in refuges have mental health issues linked to abuse per Women's Aid
Verified14Trans women experience 2.5 times higher domestic abuse rates per Galop
Directional15Pregnant women face 3 times higher homicide risk from partners per Lancet
Single source1661% of child sexual exploitation victims have experienced domestic abuse
Verified17Rural women 1.4 times more likely to experience domestic violence per ONS
Verified1840% of homeless women cite domestic violence as reason for homelessness per Crisis
Verified191 in 3 female healthcare workers experienced domestic abuse per BMJ 2022
Directional2076% of women victims never reported to police per CSEW
Single source21Young women 16-19 have 4% prevalence rate of domestic abuse per CSEW
Verified2289% of repeat victims are women per NPCC SARCs 2023
Verified2325% of women experienced domestic abuse before age 18 per Women's Aid
Verified2450% of female murder victims killed by partner/ex-partner per ONS 2023
Directional2593% of female domestic homicide victims killed by current/former partner per ONS
Single source2635% of men victims are aged 25-34 per CSEW 2023
VerifiedVictims Interpretation
This chilling mosaic of statistics reveals that domestic abuse is a pervasive, profoundly gendered crisis, where the most vulnerable faces—the young, the marginalized, the pregnant, the elderly—are systematically targeted by a spectrum of violence that often begins with invisible coercion and, for one woman every three days in England and Wales, ends in a funeral arranged by the man who claimed to love her.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 2NPCCnpcc.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 3WOMENSAIDwomensaid.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 4REFUGErefuge.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 5SAFELIVESsafelives.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 6NEWSnews.npcc.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 7VICTIMSUPPORTvictimsupport.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 8THELANCETthelancet.comVisit source
- Reference 9WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 10NSPCCnspcc.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 11GALOPgalop.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 12STONEWALLstonewall.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 13CRISIScrisis.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 14BMJbmj.comVisit source
- Reference 15GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 16MANKINDmankind.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 17SAMARITANSsamaritans.orgVisit source
- Reference 18ASSETSassets.publishing.service.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 19ENGLANDengland.shelter.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 20HEALTHhealth.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 21MINDmind.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 22IFSifs.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 23CPScps.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 24RIGHTSOFWOMENrightsofwomen.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 25RESPECTPHONELINErespectphoneline.org.ukVisit source