Domestic Violence

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence refers to a pattern of abusive behaviour used by one person to gain power and control over another, within the context of an intimate or family relationship.

Domestic abuse is a worldwide problem that affects individuals in many countries and communities around the globe. It isn’t limited to any specific culture, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. Abuse like this exists in developed and developing countries, although its prevalence and specific manifestations vary from country to country. Efforts to address and combat domestic abuse are ongoing globally. Societies are working to raise awareness, provide support to survivors, and implement preventive measures to create safer environments for individuals and families.

Domestic violence can affect individuals of all genders and can have severe and long-lasting impacts on the victims. It is normally associated with physical harm but can take various forms:

• Physical abuse, which involves the physical force or harm to another person, resulting in major injuries, bruises or even death.
• Emotional abuse, such as manipulation within a relationship, humiliation, isolation and more.
• Sexual abuse, this abuse encompasses non-consensual sexual acts, forced sexual activities, or any form of sexual coercion within the relationship.
• Psychological abuse, this inflicts long-lasting emotional trauma through intimidation, gaslighting, controlling behaviour, and threats to harm loved ones or pets.

Domestic violence in the UK (2021)

• Office for National Statistics stated, in 2020, an estimated 2.3 million adults aged 16-74 experienced domestic abuse in the year.
• In the year ending March 2020, the police recorded over 746,000 domestic abuse-related offenses in England and Wales.
• Domestic violence accounts for a significant portion of violent crime in the UK, roughly 30% of all recorded violent crimes being domestic abuse-related.
• Women are disproportionately affected by domestic abuse, with around 2/3 of the victims being female.
• Domestic abuse can affect individuals of any age, but younger women (aged 16 to 24) tend to experience the highest rates of domestic abuse.
• 44% of children in families where domestic abuse is happening were also directly abused and 91% of children were exposed to domestic abuse (Safelives)

It’s important to recognise the signs of domestic violence and support those who may be experiencing it by providing resources and encouraging them to seek help.

In Hull, Humberside Police respond to between 850 and 950 calls for service every month due to domestic abuse. Between April 2020 and March 2021 Hull DAP, Domestic Abuse Partnership Support Service supported 2492 women and their children.

Anyone impacted by domestic violence or wanting to support someone who’s suffered can visit White ribbon website for more information.

How to show your support.

To support the campaign to raise awareness and tackle domestic abuse locally, the city applied for and was successful in gaining White Ribbon City status in February 2015. Since then, partner agencies from across the city have worked together to raise awareness of abuse to women and girls through white ribbon campaign activities. 

25 November is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. Also, it’s White Ribbon Day and starts 16 days of activism through to 10 December Human Rights Day.  

Reporting Domestic Abuse along with accessing further support can be obtained locally through the following:

Humberside Police – 999, click here to access their website.

Women’s Aid Hull – To contact them, click here, and for their website, click here.  

Together Women – 01482 218125, to visit their website, click here.

Purple House – 01482 790310, to visit their website, click here.

To return to the Advice Centre, click here.