Developing a new measure of domestic abuse: April 2023.
It is generally considered that the Office of National Statistics (ONS), is the most reliable data to look at when needing accurate data on issues in relation to domestic abuse and violence.
There has recently been a redevelopment of questions to measure domestic abuse and violence in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).
This has been necessary because of the constantly changing way in which domestic abuse and violence presents itself and also, in part, as a result of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and its definition of domestic abuse.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS), have been doing research and user engagement over the last few years on this redevelopment in order to improve the quality of data on domestic abuse and violence.
The new questions will form part of a self-completion section of the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) and will be included from April 2023 until March 2025 as part of a trial.
The new questions are in two parts. The first part asks questions about intimate partner abuse and the second part asks about family abuse. The questions are on abusive behaviours and the impact of these behaviours on the victim/survivor.
The new questions cover the following types of abusive behaviour: -
· Emotional Abuse
· Financial Abuse
· Health Related Abuse
· Threatening Abusive Behaviours
· Forceful Abusive Behaviours
· Sexual Assault
· Stalking
· Physical Abuse
The data received on the new questions will help make a decision, hopefully by early 2025 on whether they are helpful in broadening people’s lived experiences of domestic abuse and creating more realistic data. If this is the case, it is anticipated the questions will remain part of the wider Crime survey for England and Wales moving forwards.
Please click on the link below to read the full article and see the new questions.
Developing a new measure of domestic abuse: April 2023 - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)