Everyone’s business: Improving the police response to domestic abuse

The extent and nature of domestic abuse remains shocking. A core part of the policing mission is to prevent crime and disorder. Domestic abuse causes both serious harm and constitutes a considerable proportion of overall crime. It costs society an estimated £15.7 billion a year. Seventy seven women were killed by their partners or ex-partners in 2012/13.2 In the UK, one in four of young people, aged 10 to 24, reported that they experienced domestic violence and abuse during their childhood.3 Forces told us that crime relating to domestic abuse constitutes some eight percent of all recorded crime in their areas and one third of their recorded assaults with injury. On average the police receive an emergency call relating to domestic abuse every 30 seconds.
Other agencies and partners share the responsibility to tackle domestic abuse and keep victims safe; it does not rest solely with the police. However, the police have an essential role to play.
In September 2013, the Home Secretary commissioned HMIC to conduct an inspection on the police response. We were asked to:
• report on the effectiveness of the police approach to domestic violence and abuse, focusing on the outcomes for victims and whether risks to victims of domestic violence and abuse are adequately managed;
• identify lessons learnt from how the police approach domestic violence and abuse; and
• make recommendations in relation to these findings when considered alongside current practice. To answer these questions, HMIC collected data and reviewed files from the 43 Home Office-funded forces. We spoke to 70 victims of domestic abuse who took part in focus groups throughout England and Wales (and a number of other victims in one-to-one interviews) and surveyed over 500 victims on-line. We also surveyed nearly 200 professionals working with victims of domestic abuse.
HMIC inspected all police forces in England and Wales, interviewing senior and operational leads, and held focus groups with frontline staff and partners. We carried out visits to police stations (which were unannounced) to test the reality of the forces’ approaches with frontline officers.
Our inspection teams were supplemented by experts in the field of domestic abuse. These included public protection experts from more than 15 forces and those working with victims of domestic abuse in voluntary and community sector organisations.
Main findings
The overall police response to victims of domestic abuse is not good enough. This is despite considerable improvements in the service over the last decade, and the commitment and dedication of many able police officers and police staff. In too many forces there are weaknesses in the service provided to victims; some of these are serious and this means that victims are put at unnecessary risk. Many forces need to take action now.
Domestic abuse is a priority on paper but, in the majority of forces, not in practice. Almost all police and crime commissioners have identified domestic abuse as a priority in their Police and Crime Plans. All forces told us that it is a priority for them.
This stated intent is not translating into operational reality in most forces. Tackling domestic abuse too often remains a poor relation to acquisitive crime and serious organised crime.