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Domestic Abuse

The quality of couple and family relationships is fundamental to our wellbeing as individuals and as a community. The past thirty years have seen a societal change in attitude towards understanding and tackling domestic abuse and it is now at the forefront of community safety and child protection agendas locally and nationally. Oxfordshire has long placed a priority on addressing abuse within relationships, to promoting the safety and welfare of all those affected, and to holding those responsible to account.

The importance of this strategy is evident:

  • Domestic abuse affects both men and women although the majority of victims are women. It crosses all socio-economic groups and cultures. It is prevalent but often hidden; and it is still significantly under-reported. It is estimated that one in ten women will experience domestic abuse at any one time and one in four in their lifetime and one in six men in their lifetime. 
  • Domestic abuse comprises a pattern of abusive and controlling behaviours which have a tendency to escalate. It accounts for 16% of reported violent crime, and 25-30% of Oxfordshire’s adult homicides. 
  • The physical and emotional consequences for the victim are profound and insidious. Ongoing abuse induces lack of confidence, self blame, a tendency to deny the degree of abuse, social isolation, depression and other mental illness. This and other factors explain why leaving an abusive relationship is not easy, and to plan to do so often increases the risk.

Children and Domestic Abuse

  • Domestic abuse invariably impacts on children in the household whether or not they have direct experience of the abuse. 
  • It may detrimentally affect their emotional wellbeing, behaviour, attainment and longer-term life chances. 
  • The younger the child the more vulnerable. 
  • Domestic abuse is a factor in the majority of Safeguarding Children Board serious case reviews of child death or injury, and in three quarters of cases of children on child protection plans. A recent Oxfordshire school pilot revealed that seven out of eight young people on fixed term exclusion had experience of domestic abuse. 
  • There is a financial cost to society. An estimate in 2001 of the cost of Domestic Abuse to the country was £23 billion a year and a current estimate of the cost to Oxfordshire’s public services  is £125 million.

The OSCB is committed to ensuring the correct support is in place for children living in homes where domestic abuse is happening.  This work is driven forward through the through the Domestic Abuse and Childrens Group. Further advice, link to resources and champion training can be found at www.reducingtherisk.org.uk

Safer today - better tomorrow
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