Domestic Abuse JSNA

This section will focus on core epidemiological issues that take account of fixed risk factors (such as age, gender, ethnicity, family history) and modifiable risk factors (such as behaviour). The wider determinants of health (such as housing, transport and environment) are also considered.

Age

The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates showed that a significantly higher proportion of people aged 16 to 19 years were victims of any domestic abuse (8.7%) compared with those in age categories of 55 years and over, for year ending (YE) March 2024. The percentage of people aged 20 to 24 years who were victims of any domestic abuse (7.1%) was higher than those aged 55 to 59 years (3.8%). For those aged 75 years and over, the percentage of victims was significantly lower than all other age groups (2.1%).[vi]

Older people are more likely to be abused by family members rather than intimate partners and experience barriers to accessing support due to abuse being normalised and accepted.[vii]

Harbour local data shows that in 2023/2024, 184 referrals were receive for clients aged 55 or over. This is an increase of 9% from 2020/2021.

Children and Young People

Domestic abuse impacts children and young people both as victims when living in a household where domestic abuse occurs between parents or family members and in their own interpersonal relationships.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales only records domestic abuse victims from age 16 onwards. Figures for year ending March 2024 show that 8.7% of people aged 16-19 were victims of domestic abuse in the last year. This is almost double the average for all age groups of 4.8%. When broken down by sex, 11.2% of women aged 16-19 experienced domestic abuse, compared to 5.8% of men in the same age bracket.

Another element of domestic abuse relating to young people that is a hidden harm is child and adolescent to parent violence and abuse (CAPVA). Respect.org.uk defines CAPVA as “where a young person (aged 8-18) engages in repeated abusive behaviour towards a parent or adult carer”. [viii] Research suggests that CAPVA, like other forms of abuse, is under-reported with families only contacting the police when the situation has reached crisis point and they are afraid from their safety. CAPVA most commonly involves male children in late adolescence directing physical violence towards their mothers. Due to under-reporting and lack of a standardised definition of CAPVA, data is patchy.

Harbour data shows that in 2023/24, 299 referrals were received for clients aged 18 and under. This represents an increase of 12 (4%) compared to 2020/21).

Additionally, in terms of child referrals:

• 255 were for clients aged under 16
• 21 were accommodated in refuge.
• 15 were accommodated in dispersed accommodation.
• 22 of the referrals were repeats.
• Most referrals were received from Social Services – Child Safeguarding (98), followed by self-referral (56) and Social Services – Early Help (53).

Local data for CAPVA incidents is not available, however, research reported by Respect.org.uk found that:

• In a youth offending sample, Respect and Numbers for Good found the prevalence of CAPVA in caseloads were between 21 and 27%, and between 64 and 67% of police Domestic Abuse incidents where the suspect was under 18. There were also significant levels of CAPVA reported in Children's Social Care, including Early Help caseloads.
• Between 6 March 2019 and 4 January 2020, Northumbria police responded to an average of two incidents of CAPVA per day (515 total).

Disability

The Crime Survey for England and Wales showed that adults with a disability were more than twice as likely to have experienced domestic abuse in the last year than those without, for year ending March 2024 (9.2% and 3.9% respectively).

According to ReducingTheRisk.org.uk, disabled people face additional barriers to accessing services. Someone who is disabled and experiencing domestic abuse may find it harder to protect themselves, access sources of help, or remove themselves from the abusive situation[ix] .

People with disabilities may be reliant on the abuser for personal care or mobility.

Learning disabilities can also affect victim-survivors access to support and their understanding of their own abuse.

People with disabilities can be subject to all forms of domestic abuse, but due to their added vulnerability they may also experience:

• An abuser withholding care or medication from them
• An abuser removing mobility or sensory devices that they need for independence
• An abuser claiming state benefits to care for them — enabling them to control the victim-survivor’s finances more effectively
• An abuser using their disability to taunt or degrade them.

Disabled people also face difficulties when it comes to disclosing the abuse. Disabled victims may already be socially isolated because of their disability. They may also find it harder to disclose abuse because they have no opportunity to see health or social care professionals without their abuser being present.

For a victim-survivor with disabilities, the concerns about moving out of their homes come with additional and vital concerns about accessibility of a new home or refuge.

Their house may have been specially adapted for them. Care packages have been organised and they may be worried that they will lose their current level of independence if they are forced to move elsewhere.

They may be reluctant to report domestic abuse from a partner whose care they depend on, and which they believe enables them to stay out of institutional care.

Harbour data shows that for 2023/24, 131 clients disclosed that they had a disability (up 37 (39%) compared to 2020/21), while 688 (up 111 (19%) said they did not have a disability, however disability status was unrecorded for 1447 clients (down 378 (21%).

Additionally:

• Of the clients accommodated in refuge in 2023/24, 47% had mental health issues, 15% had a physical disability, 6% have a learning disability and 1% have a sensory impairment.
• Of those accommodated in dispersed accommodation, 63% had mental health issues, 13% had a physical disability, and 0% had a learning disability or sensory impairment.
• Of those clients referred to outreach services, 30% had mental health issues, 2% had a physical disability, 2% had a learning disability and 1% had a sensory impairment.
• Of those clients referred to IDVA services, 32% had mental health issues, 0%- have a physical disability, 7% have a learning disability and 0% have a sensory impairment.
• Of those clients referred for counselling measures, 26% of clients had mental health issues, 5% had a physical disability, and 0% had a learning disability or sensory impairment.
• Of the clients referred for prevention measures, 45% had mental health issues, 5% had a physical disability or a learning disability and 2% had a sensory impairment.
• Of the clients referred for Children and Young People measures, the proportion with mental health issues is not recorded, 1% have a physical disability, 3% had a learning disability and none had a sensory impairment.

Gender

Data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales for year ending March 2024 gives a domestic abuse prevalence of 3% for men, compared to 6.6% for women.

Harbour data for shows that:

• In 2023/24, 451 referrals were received for male victims of domestic abuse.
• This represents 20% of all clients referred.
• The number of males referred remains similar to 2020/21 (462)

Additionally, Adult safeguarding report that 24 males with a care need were referred with domestic abuse concerns during year ending March 2024. This is a 50% increase from 2020.

Ethnicity

The CSEW ending in March 2024 did not find any significant differences across ethnic groups for victims of domestic abuse. Although the percentage of minority ethnic victims accessing support services in Hartlepool is increasing, they often have additional risks including so-called honour-based abuse, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Sexual Orientation

The Domestic Abuse Victim Characteristics release from ONS does not include reference to LGBTQ+ victims. However, ReducingTheRisk.org.uk identify that while LGBTQ+ victims experience well-established forms of abuse, they are also subject to other forms of abuse specific to their LGBTQ+ status and a general landscape of discrimination x.  This may include:

• Homophobia/Biphobia/Transphobia or manipulation of someone’s internalised Homophobia/Biphobia/Transphobia
• Conversion therapy
• Threats to ‘out’ someone to their family/ colleagues/ friends
• Withholding housing or financial support from them
• Withholding medication or access to healthcare

LGBTQ+ people also face difficulties in disclosing abuse. The history of violence and legal discrimination as well as the general homo/trans/biphobia in British society can dissuade LGBTQ+ victim-survivors from disclosing for fear of giving a community already being marginalised a ‘bad name’.

Fear of ‘outing’ themselves by reporting. This is often compounded when living in smaller towns and rural areas and can make it difficult for the abused partner to seek help.

Heteronormative assumptions may lead Police and other agencies to misunderstand the situation as a ‘fight’ between two men or women rather than a violent intimate relationship.

Most information on domestic abuse relates to the experiences of heterosexual women.

This lack of understanding means that some people may not:

• Believe it happens in LGBTQ+ relationships.
• Recognise their experience of domestic abuse as that.
• Know how to respond if they see domestic abuse being experienced by their friends or family.

Harbour data shows that:

• In 2023/24, 649 referrals were recorded as being heterosexual, compared to 607 in 2020/21 (an increase of 7%)
• 10 were recorded as being lesbian / gay - 9 in 2020/21(11% increase)
• 13 were recorded as being bisexual – 6 in 2020/21 (117% increase)
• 123 referrals were recorded as undisclosed – 112 in 2020/21 (10% increase)
• In 1423 referrals no data was recorded – 1772 in 2020/21 (20% decrease)
• 48 referrals were recorded as “other” sexuality – 1 in 2020/21 (4700% increase).