Domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking: Findings from the British Crime Survey Research, Development and Statistics (CRCSG) Jonathan Allen Crime Surveys Section Strategic Data Flows BUILDING A SAFE, JUST AND TOLERANT SOCIETY

THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY The British Crime Survey (BCS) Household survey of people’s experiences and perceptions of crime in England and Wales First conducted in 1981 Continuous since 2001 Sample size Alternative to police recorded crime

SURVEY STRUCTURE

IPV module AIMS: 2001 BRITISH CRIME SURVEY (n-s domestic violence, sexual victimisation, stalking) AIMS: most accurate estimates of extent and nature national level male sexual assault most detailed distinctions between forms of sexual assault overlaps between domestic violence, sexual victimisation, stalking

DESIGN 2001 IPV previous BCS studies disclosure and self-completion 16-59 year olds question design nationally-representative piloting

Extent of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking Inter-personal violence is both widely dispersed and it is concentrated: some experience of domestic abuse, sexual victimisation or stalking for 36% of people a minority, largely women, suffer multiple attacks, severe injuries, experience more than one form of IPV and serious disruption Overall, 45% of women and 26% of men aged 16-59 could recall being subject to domestic abuse, sexual victimisation or stalking at least once in their lifetime

Experience since age 16 21% - women and 10% - men experienced ns domestic violence (threat or force) 17% - women and 2% - men had been sexually victimised in some way 5% - women had suffered a serious sexual assault, 4% had been raped Overall, 0.5% of men had suffered a ssa, with 0.4% reporting rape 19% - women and 12% - men experienced stalking or harassment at some point

Prevalence of domestic violence (non-sexual since age 16)

Experience in the 12 months prior to interview 13% - women and 9% - men had been subject to IPV 4% - women and 2% - men were subject to dv Among women subject to dv in the last year, mean - 20, 28% experienced one incident only. For men, the mean - 7, one incident - 47% 190,000 incidents of ssa and an estimated 47,000 female victims of rape 0.2% - men were subject to any form of sexual assault 8% - women and 6% - men were stalked

The most heavily abused Women were the overwhelming majority of the most heavily abused group Among people subject to four or more incidents of dv from the perpetrator of the worst incident (since age 16), 89% were women. 32% of women had experienced dv from this person four or more times compared with only 11% of men 3.3% - women and 0.3% - men were subject to all 3 forms of IPV (by one or more perpetrators) at some point

Experience of IPV: impact and meaning The following findings refer to the worst incident Last year dv, 46% - women sustained a minor physical injury, 20% moderate, 6% severe. For 31% it resulted in mental/emotional problems. Among men, the figures were 41%, 14% ,1% and 9% Female ssa, for 52% - depression, attempted suicide - 5% and pregnancy - 4% Among employed women who suffered dv in the last year, 21% took time off work and 2% lost their jobs. For men, 6% took time off, 2% lost jobs 64% - women and 94% - men subject to last year dv did not think it was a crime. Two-thirds of women who had been victimised ‘many times’ did think it was

Relationship of offender to victim for rape and serious sexual assault

Seeking help 31% - women and 63% - men had not told anyone about the worst incident of dv suffered during the last year 40% - women told no one about their worst experience of rape 25% of those women that were raped in their worst incident and classified it as such, told no one Among victims of stalking last year, 9% women and 17% men told no one In less than one in four (23% women; 8% men) of the worst cases of dv in the last year did the police come to know In cases of sexual assault the police came to know in less than one in seven of the worst cases

Developments The 2004/05 BCS IPV module - redesign Repetition of format Broadening of domestic violence definition Restrictions Level of detail and timing Analytical streamlining – core victimisation module Change in nature of follow-up information, shift from worst incident focus Focus on partner abuse in last 12 months Comparability to 2001 prevalence information Piloting

Developments conti… First results from 2004/05 BCS 2005/06 – core module + nature of sexual assault follow up 2006/07 – core module only Future directions

CONTACT DETAILS Home Office 5th Floor Peel Building 2 Marsham Street London, UK E-mail: bcsadhoc@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/bcs1.html