Domestic abuse crime up 10% in pandemic

DOMESTIC abuse rose by 10% in a year, although overall crime was down during the Covid-19 pandemic, official figures show.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 842,813 domestic abuse-related offences were recorded by police forces in England and Wales in the year ending September, 2020 – up from 769,611 the previous year.

It comes as domestic abuse commissioner Nicole Jacobs told MPs the current situation for victims during lockdown was “extremely serious”.

Safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins said the Government has been clear that victims can leave their homes under current coronavirus restrictions.

“It is vital that those at risk of domestic abuse know that help and support is out there and they are not alone,” she said. “Throughout this pandemic, we have worked with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and charities to protect those for who home is not a safe space.”

Total police recorded crime dropped by 6% to around 5.7 million offences, driven by substantial falls during April to June, particularly in theft offences, as the country spent most of the period under strict lockdown restrictions, a report published yesterday said.

However, the results of a separate survey carried out by the ONS show the number of victims of crime in July to September, 2020, returned to a similar level as in the pre-coronavirus period of January to March, following a 19% drop in April to June.

Chief Constable Andy Cooke, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for crime operations, said: “We have seen sustained falls in crime recorded through periods of national lockdowns as the public have largely stayed at home helping to stop the spread of the Covid virus.

“Police have continued to focus our attention on protecting victims of domestic abuse from harm and catching perpetrators, working closely with all our partners to make sure victims get the support they need, and that has not changed due to the Covid restrictions.

“Many forces have stepped up their response to domestic abuse and have been innovative in light of new national and regional lockdowns.”

The police recorded crime figures show a 7% drop in firearms offences and a 3% dip in offences involving knives and sharp instruments in the 12 months to September last year.

Homicides, excluding the 39 Vietnamese migrants found in a lorry in Grays, Essex, in October, 2019, increased by 1%, from 655 to 659.

The ONS report said a 16% increase in recorded drug offences was driven by proactive police work in crime hot-spots in April to June.

In response to the figures, children’s charity Barnardo’s warned that offences could “erupt” once the latest lockdown is eased.

Chief executive Javed Khan said: “The coronavirus pandemic and lockdown restrictions have artificially depressed knife-crime figures, which were at an all-time high before Covid-19 struck.

“During the first lockdown from April to June last year, offences plummeted by 22%, but rose by 25% again in July to September, giving us an idea of what might erupt once restrictions are lifted and life begins to return to normal.”