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Female domestic abuse victims

At least 1 in 4 women experience domestic abuse in their lifetime and between 1 in 8 and 1 in 10 women experience it annually. Less than half of all incidents are reported to the police, but they still receive one domestic violence call every minute in the UK. 

The vast majority of the people experiencing domestic abuse are women and children, and women are also considerably more likely to experience repeated and severe forms of violence, and sexual abuse.  Women may experience domestic abuse regardless of ethnicity, religion, beliefs, class, age, sexuality, disability or lifestyle. 

Women who experience domestic abuse are often asked ‘why you don’t leave’, there are a variety of complexed reasons why women do not want to leave abuse relationships including being in love with your abusive partner. It is often hard enough to leave any relationship let alone when there is abuse added to the equation.

Support and advice is on hand to help you make the best decision for you.

Disabled women are particularly vulnerable to abuse. Research has shown that disabled women experience abuse at least twice as often as non-disabled women.  Abusers - including personal assistants and carers -  may exploit a woman's particular condition or impairment.  There are also additional barriers that a disabled woman must overcome when she seeks help.

Domestic abuse also affects women from all ethnic groups, and there is no evidence to suggest that women from some ethnic or cultural communities are any more at risk than others. However, the form the abuse takes may vary; in some communities, for example, domestic violence may be perpetrated by extended family members, or it may include forced marriage, or female genital mutilation.

Women from Black or minority ethnic communities may also be more isolated, or may have to overcome religious and cultural pressures, and they may be afraid of bringing shame onto their 'family honour'.

Victims of domestic violence who are from abroad and have No Recourse to Public Funds will usually have been granted limited leave to enter the United Kingdom as a spouse or a fiancé of a person present and settled in the UK. Under the Immigration rules such people may apply for indefinite leave to remain, as long as they can provide evidence that the relationship broke down as a result of domestic violence before the end of their limited leave.

However, whilst this application is pending, people in this situation have no recourse to public funds, which means no access to benefits, housing, although they are able to work, this is very difficult to sustain when fleeing a domestic abusive relationship.

There are support services and agencies that can help any women in any situation - even those with no recourse to public funding

Resources

 

Help lines

  • National helpline
    (24 hrs)
    0808 2000 247
  • Oxfordshire domestic abuse helpline
    0800 731 0055
  • Police
    (non emergency)
    101
  • Victim support
    0845 450 3883
  • Kiran Asian
    women’s aid
    0208 558 1986
  • Men's advice line
    0808 801 0327
  • Broken Rainbow
    (LGBT)
    020 8539 9507
  • Elder abuse
    0808 808 8141
  • Childline
    0800 1111
The Reducing the risk website is hosted by:
Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road, OX1 1ND
reducingtherisk@oxfordshire.gov.uk