Almost 30,000 domestic abuse crimes reported to police
DOMESTIC abuse-related crimes continued to rise in Derbyshire last year, according to data.
There were 29,250 domestic abuse-related incidents reported to Derbyshire Police in 2020-21, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show – around 80 a day on average.
Police recorded 17,425 of the incidents as crimes, which was up from 15,575 the previous year and 6,077 in 2015-16.
The ONS said increases may be partly driven by improved recording practices or the increased willingness of victims to come forward.
Domestic abuse-related crimes are defined as any threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between people aged 16 and over who are – or have been – partners or family members.
The abusive behaviour can be psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional.
In 2020-21, there were 16.4 domestic abuse-related crimes recorded in Derbyshire per 1,000 people in the area – above the England and Wales average of 14.2 per 1,000. And they accounted for more than one in every five of crimes (23.2%) of all types recorded over the period – which was also above the average of 18.3% across all police forces.
There were 35.2 arrests for every 100 offences in the county last year, compared to 32.5 across England and Wales as a whole.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charged 1,338 domestic abuse-related cases in Derbyshire in 2020-21 – up from 1,143 the previous year, although the charging rate dropped from 70.8% to 65.0%.
The number of prosecutions also rose from 1,213 in 2019-20 to 1,412 last year, although that was still down from 1,744 in 2014-15.
And the proportion resulting in a conviction increased over the period, from 76.3% in 2014-15 to 82.5% last year.
Across England and Wales, the number of domestic abuse crimes recorded by the police increased by 5.9% to 845,734.
Meanwhile, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in England run by the charity Refuge, saw a 22% increase in calls. The CPS charging rate for domestic abuse-related crimes dropped to 70.1% in 2020-21 – the third successive fall and down from 75.9% in 2017-18.
And the number of CPS prosecutions decreased for the fifth year in a row, to 54,515.
Ruth Davison, chief executive of Refuge, said the figures were a stark reminder of how pervasive domestic abuse is in society, and underscored the need for properly funded services so survivors get adequate support.
She added: “These statistics are also a reminder that the criminal justice system needs reform to ensure that it protects women and girls.
“The continued decrease in prosecutions and charging rates for domestic abuse-related crimes sends a very concerning message, and at a time when trust in the police is low, urgent action is needed so that women and girls have confidence in the system to protect them.”
Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said the scale of domestic abuse shown by the figures was “likely to be the tip of the iceberg” as many survivors do not report it to the police.
A CPS spokesperson said: “We have huge sympathy for victims of domestic abuse and are working closely with police and victim support groups to address the worrying fall in prosecutions.
“That is why we are prioritising measures to better protect victims and bring more offenders before the courts.”
A Home Office spokesperson said the department was funding a new national policing lead for violence against women and girls (VAWG), and that Home Secretary Priti Patel will chair a cross-government group to drive improvements in the area.
The spokesperson added: “In recognition of the pervasiveness and devastating harm domestic abuse is having on millions of lives, we have doubled funding for tackling perpetrators in 2021-22 to
£25 million and are working to publish the Domestic Abuse Strategy early next year.
“We will also be launching a national public behaviour change campaign to challenge perpetrators and support victims.”