News / Society

New research reveals shocking statistics about domestic abuse in UK

Monday, 05 September 2016 12:45 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 05 September 2016 12:49 PM ]

Women’s Aid defines domestic abuse as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behavior, including sexual violence. (file photo)

New research reveals shocking statistics about domestic abuse in the UK and calls on the government to prevent domestic violence shelters from closing.

Researchers said that two-thirds of domestic violence shelters face closure due to government welfare cuts. The housing benefit cap would reduce funding to shelters which is a “matter of life or death for many women and children fleeing abuse,” according to charity organization Women’s Aid.

According to its website, Women’s Aid is a “grassroots federation working together to provide life-saving services and build a future where domestic violence is not tolerated.”

The charity organization found that 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence in the UK. Researchers also showed that abuse can affect families, with 1 in 5 children being witnesses to domestic abuse. They also said that a whopping 91 percent of domestic violence victims are women.

Violent, physical, sexual, psychological or emotional abuse - including threats and intimidation - in your home or elsewhere by your current or former partner, or any other adult family member each amounts to domestic abuse, according to the state-funded BBC.

It can also include financial abuse, such as a partner controlling your use of money or running up debts in your name. Men and women can both be perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse, and victims are encouraged to call the police. In 2012, the UK government extended the definition of domestic violence so that young people aged 16 and 17 would be included. Wording to cover coercive control was also introduced.

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