Urgent need for safe homes.as domestic abuse increases

The Independent has partnered with charity Refuge to build a safe and secure house for women fleeing domestic violence

- JABED AHMED

Shocking figures on domestic violence reveal that crimes against women and girls are increasing across the country.

An estimated 2.1 million people in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023, with women disproportionately affected. More than 1.4 million women and 751,000 men suffered domestic abuse in the last year, according to Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).

Despite these figures, it is estimated that less than 24 per cent of domestic abuse is actually reported to the police, according to Refuge, The Independent’s charity partner which specialises in supporting survivors of such abuse.

On average, one woman is killed by an abusive partner or former partner every five days in England and Wales, according to Refuge. The charity also found one in four women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime.

As a result, this publication and Refuge have launched the Brick by Brick campaign to raise £300,000 to build a safe home for women to escape their abusive partners.

The latest figures show the police recorded 1,453,867 reports of domestic abuse-related incidents in England and Wales over a 12-month period – 889,918 of which ended up being considered criminal, according to the Office for National Statistics.