ACPO comment on government consultation on domestic abuse

ACPO lead on domestic abuse Chief Constable Carmel Napier said:

“Domestic abuse is an insidious crime that impacts on every part of our society. Domestic abuse accounts for 18% of all violent crime in the UK, with results in the recent British Crime Survey showing that 29% of women and 16% of men surveyed had been victims of domestic abuse since the age of 16, and 7% of women and 4% of men stated that they had been victims of domestic abuse within the last year. Whilst we know successful prosecution outcomes are improving, there is more we need to do to encourage victims to come forward in the first place. Part of this work is to enable victims to recognise that they may be experiencing domestic abuse.

“Clarifying a single domestic abuse definition for use by statutory partners is important for ensuring a consistent approach in recognising and understanding the breadth of abuse experienced by victims and their families, and to minimise the potential for different agencies to interpret and translate the definition differently when developing their policies and procedures. When a victim builds the courage to disclose they are experiencing domestic abuse, all agencies must mobilise immediately to provide effective risk assessment and to protect the victim and their families from risk of further threat and harm.

“ACPO has been involved in the development of this consultation and will be making a response on behalf of the service.”

A link to the government consultation can be found here: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/about-us/consultations/definition-domestic-violence/dv-definition-consultation?view=Binary

For more information please contact:

ACPO Press Office
Association of Chief Police Officers
e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk