Domestic Abuse

Speak Out Break Free: Torbay Exposing Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or financial abuse that takes place within an intimate or family type relationship and forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour.

Tackling domestic abuse is a key priority for Safer Communities Torbay. The partnership has developed and is implementing a local strategy (see Downloadable Documents) to reduce the prevalence and impact of this crime.

Facts and Figures

• There are on average 272 incidents of domestic abuse in Torbay each month.86% of victims in Torbay are female.
• 1,010 children were recorded by police as being present at incidents from April to December 2008.
• 40% of children on the Child Protection Register are living in households where domestic abuse is a significant concern.
• Alcohol and/or drugs are involved in approximately 50% of domestic abuse incidents in Torbay.
• 20% of all domestic abuse incidents (crime and non crime) reported in Torbay are Very High Risk.

The Cost to Torbay

• The cost of dealing with a domestic abuse disclosure in Torbay is a minimum of £838 per day.
• Annually this amounts to a cost to agencies of £305,870.
• Research estimates the cost of domestic abuse to be £60 per household per year, based on police, criminal justice system, housing, refuge, social services and health costs.
• As a minimum estimate 7,800 women are likely to be victims of domestic abuse in Torbay a year (6-10% of the adult female population).
• This amounts to a total cost to Torbay Householders of £3,720,000 per annum.

• Domestic Abuse Strategy
  This strategy seeks to promote and enhance the continued inter-agency working present across a range of statutory and voluntary sector agencies in Torbay.
  Last updated: 22/04/2010 (2.6 MB)