About our campaign
Around 1.9 million people in England and Wales, aged between 16 and 59 years old, experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2017. That’s about 6% of people within that age range.
In the same period, domestic abuse-related crimes recorded by the police accounted for nearly a third of violent crimes (32%) and 11% of crimes in general. Between April 2013 and March 2016, 454 people were killed in domestic homicides (approximately three people a week) – nearly a third of all murders where the victim was aged 16 and over. Of this figure, 70% of victims were women*.
In Sutton, domestic violence accounted for 38% of incidents of violence with injury in 2017 (467 out of 1,242)**.
Despite the enormity of these figures, the number of people experiencing domestic abuse is thought to be much higher. It is often a hidden crime that goes unreported.
*ONS: ww.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/ bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2017
**Community Safety Partnership Strategic Assessment 2017-18
Domestic Abuse Transformation Programme
Tackling domestic abuse in all its forms is an urgent priority to ensure Sutton is a safer place for everyone. For this reason the Domestic Abuse Transformation Programme was launched. It is a partnership involving Epsom and St Helier hospitals, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police Service, Primary and Secondary School Heads, Community Action Sutton (on behalf of the voluntary sector), Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group, Sutton Council and Sutton Housing Partnership, working together to reduce domestic abuse in the borough.
Over three years £1.25 million is being invested to improve services relating to domestic abuse, including early intervention and prevention initiatives, such as working with schools.
The aim is to significantly reduce levels of domestic abuse in Sutton in the long term. It is hoped the programme will encourage other boroughs to develop plans to deal with domestic abuse, as it’s an issue which is both widespread and devastating.
Campaign resources: communications toolkit
Use these resources to raise awareness of domestic abuse issues in your organisation. Please read the guide to the communications toolkit before using the resources. It contains important information. If you have any queries please email notaloneinsutton@sutton.gov.uk
Guide to communications toolkit
Please read the guide to the communications toolkit before using the resources. It contains important information.
Communications toolkit: guide and scheduleThe report media pack
Introduction video
This film features a survivor of domestic abuse telling her story.
Click here to watch the video on YouTube