Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2021

Unfortunately, domestic violence appears to be in the news now more than ever. During the pandemic, an increase of cases was expected and according to the Office for National Statistics, the Police recorded 206,492 violence statistics flagged as domestic abuse-related between March and June 2020 – a 9% increase compared with the same period in 2019.

Other alarming statistics which have been reported have included the following:

• That an estimated 5.5% of the UK population between the ages of 16 and 74 have experienced some type of domestic abuse within the past year.
• The Crime Survey for England and Wales has estimated that 1.6 million women and 757,000 men were abused by partners in 2019/20.

Additionally and more recently, BBC News reported there has been a huge rise in domestic abuse cases being dropped in England and Wales. Under current laws, the Police have six months to charge common assault, including domestic abuse, from when the alleged incident took place. As the authorities are breaching this six-month limit, thousands of cases every year are being timed out. There are a variety of reasons why a victim of domestic violence might not be able to report an assault instantly. This is why many are campaigning for the law to change.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month – What is it?

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an annual event, first launched in 1987, which takes place in October. It aims to unify all victims of domestic violence across the world, highlight the support services available, and generally raise awareness and encourage people to speak out.

The awareness month also highlights the importance of recognising that domestic violence also impacts men, as well as women. It is something that affects millions of people worldwide, across every socioeconomic background, culture, religion, and race.

What is classed as domestic abuse?

Domestic abuse is a pattern of behaviour in a relationship that is used to gain power and control over a partner. It can take different forms, including, but not limited to:

• Physical violence
• Sexual abuse
• Harassing the victim
• Threatening behaviour
• Emotional abuse
• Coercive and controlling behaviour

It can take place within a variety of relationships, including couples who are married, cohabiting or dating.

What protective measures and support are available to victims of domestic abuse?

Pursuant to the Family Law Act 1996, the Court can provide protection to domestic abuse victims where the abuser was associated with them. For example, a partner, parent or other family members, and has a variety of powers, such as:

• Non-molestation orders – which prevents abuse, threats of violence or harassing and pestering and molesting behaviour.
• Occupation orders – these types of orders can exclude someone from the family home, or prevent them from coming within a specified distance of it.

The Police can make an arrest if they suspect that these orders have been breached. The person breaching the order will also be guilty of contempt of Court and could potentially go to prison.

Additionally, victims of domestic abuse can also get support from specialist services, such as Women’s Aid and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.

How to get involved

There are many ways you can be involved in trying to help end domestic violence, including:

• Call out sexism – Sexism underpins violence against women. It is advised to challenge safely when you can, i.e. if a friend tells a sexist joke, call them out and tell them it’s not funny. To help end violence against women we need to address the root cause.
• Campaign with Women’s Aid – A network is built around campaigners who send monthly campaign actions, giving you information on how best to support survivors. A petition is also available to sign which asks the government to ensure that local authorities fund refuges and domestic abuse services. Women’s Aid recently launched their urgent new #DeserveToBeHeard campaign in Parliament. The campaign aims to highlight the devastating impact of domestic abuse on the mental health of individuals and their children.
• Share expert research – Share important statistics on your socials, retweet from domestic abuse services i.e. Women’s Aid, this can help raise awareness. Also, following these services on social media lets you see all the campaigns and vital information being shared.
• Fundraise – Take part in an event or challenges ran by charities. This could include fundraising walks, runs, bake sales, etc. All funds raised can help charities and services provide the resources needed.