Background to the Research

• This bulletin is based on findings form the NICS. It aimed to consider three main areas of domestic violence in NI: the extent of domestic violence; the risk factors associated with domestic violence victimisation; and the experience of domestic violence.
• It is hoped that police statistics on the extent of domestic violence in NI will be complimented by the information drawn from the NICS, as the NICS data provides more insight into a victim's personal experience and perceptions of domestic violence.
• No official definition of domestic violence was presented to respondents of the NICS but the survey was designed to include any violence between current or former partners in an intimate relationship that may have included physical, sexual, emotional, financial or social abuse.
  

Research Approach

• Results from 1,871 respondents aged 16 to 59 were included for analysis. Respondents aged 60+ were excluded in order to enable comparisons with findings from the 2001 NICS and, where appropriate, the 2001 British Crime Survey, the equivalent for England and Wales.
  

Main Findings

• 15% of respondents claim to have been victims of domestic violence at some time in their lives. With the exception of severe force, the prevalence rates of abuse, threat, force, and threat and/or force have increased between 2001 and 2003/04.
• Females (19%) experience a higher victimisation rate than males (11%). Females are more likely to experience force, whereas males are more likely to be victims of abuse.
• The most commonly reported type of domestic violence was being 'pushed, held or pinned down, or slapped', experienced by 7% of respondents. Social deprivation was the next most frequently reported form of domestic violence, at 6%.
• Analysis on repeat victimisation reveals that at least 49% of all victims experienced domestic violence from the same perpetrator on more than one occasion; over a quarter (26%) were victimised four times or more.
• A greater proportion of 16-29 year-olds (17%) claim to have been victims of domestic violence than those aged 30-59 years (15%).
• Catholic respondents (17%) were more likely to have experienced domestic violence than Protestant respondents (15%). Similarly, those from Belfast (21%) had higher victimisation rates than residents in the East (15%) or West (14%) of NI.
• One-third (32%) of all female victims suffered threats and/or force from a partner while they were pregnant. For over half of these females, the violence started during their pregnancy.
• In 26% of identified 'worst' incidents of domestic violence, children in the household were aware of what was going on. This is an increase of 2% from the 2001 NICS.
• The majority of worst incidents (64%) took place while the victim was living with their assailant. In addition, 55% of worst incidents took place while the assailant was considered to be under the influence of alcohol.
• 67% of victims sustained injuries as a result of their worst incident. The comparative figure from 2001 is 54%.
• Only 39% of victims believed their worst incident constitutes a crime, while 16% accepted it as 'just something that happens'.
• 80% of the worst incidents identified were not reported to the police. It appears that people are more likely to report domestic violence offences to the police if they conceptualise it as being a crime rather than not a crime.
• 47% of victims told their friends, relatives or neighbours following their worst experience of domestic violence. In contrast, 41% had told no-one about their worst incident since it happened.
• Almost half (47%) of respondents think that the government and its agencies, such as the police and courts, are not doing enough about domestic violence. Only 15% feel enough is being done to address the problem.