Domestic violence deaths more than a matter for the police

In the ongoing drama that is Brexit, it is unfortunate that many other very worthy news stories are not getting the oxygen of publicity that they would in more stable times.

That is why we feel we have to highlight some alarming recent figures that the number of people dying due to domestic violence in the UK has hit its highest level for five years.

As family law experts in Staines, we do have a glimpse into the dark world of domestic violence, and the fact that 173 people in 2018 were killed in domestic violence-related deaths, according to information obtained by the BBC, is something that needs to penetrate the public consciousness.

The figures obtained from 43 police forces across the UK, shows an increase of 32 deaths on 2017, and is something that sits very uncomfortably with us.

The reason for this is that domestic abuse is something that can often be hidden, and that’s why figures like these need to be spoken about openly.

Of course, domestic violence can be a hidden crime, where the torture of a victim is played out of sight of the watching public, behind four walls – however, family and friends can often suspect when there is something going horribly wrong.

The Government have pledged to do more to tackle this, with a new bill aimed at tackling domestic abuse on the agenda, but intervention has to happen earlier.

We should all be doing our part to help the victims of domestic abuse – talking to suspected victims and trying to help them find the support they need.

Whilst women generally are thought of as the victims in such circumstances, around a quarter are male, and domestic violence crosses all socio-economic boundaries.

Society has to stand up and be counted, and there are structures in place to help such as the Domestic Abuse Support Helpline.
 

Domestic abuse will never go away, but by making the debate more public, we can help create a better society.

If you need to talk to one of our friendly team of family law solicitors, then call us on 01784 464 491 or visit our website.

We’re here to help.