NCJ Number
188853
Journal
Criminal Justice: The International Journal of Policy and Practice Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2001 Pages: 215-226
Date Published
May 2001
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article presents the findings of an audit of calls over a 24-hour period examining the impact of domestic violence on key service providers in the United Kingdom (UK).
Abstract
An audit of calls to police over one 24-hour period revealed that it was largely women who contacted police about domestic violence. As a reflection of their greater use of the police, women receive on-going support from Victim Support in England and Wales for domestic violence-related crime. Women’s Aid and Refuge provide life-saving respite and no doubt save lives and help women and children every day find respite from domestic-related crime. In fact, Women’s Aid and Refuge are in contact with more women on a day-to-day basis than contact the police. For these few public and voluntary agencies, domestic violence is not a hidden crime. It is very visible in their daily workloads. Relate is a national registered charity with over 60 years experience in helping people with their couple relationships. Nearly one in five counseling sessions held in English Relate centers mentioned domestic violence during the counseling session as an issue in the marriage over the 24-hour period. Over one in five counseling sessions in Northern Ireland mentioned domestic violence as an issue in the marriage during this period. These findings suggest that domestic violence intersects with other assistance sought by those with marital problems. This audit served as an internal awareness-raising campaign on domestic violence. The public at large can no longer assume that domestic violence happens to “others” without thinking about the person who rings the police for help somewhere in the UK each minute of every day. 13 notes, 12 references.