How we can all help stop domestic abuse being a 'hidden crime'

Nicole Jacobs, pictured above, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, explains the role we all have to play in responding to and reporting domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse is a huge issue in our society; in England and Wales it affects over 2 million people every year, and 2 women a week are killed by a partner or ex-partner. And yet it is still considered a ‘hidden crime’, with just 1 in 5 victims reporting to the police, and too often victims and survivors suffer in silence, without access to the help and support they need. We will all know someone who has been affected by domestic abuse, whether we know it or not.

That’s why we all have a role to play in responding to domestic abuse – as friends, neighbours, healthcare workers, school teachers, housing officers, employers and many more besides. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the issue of domestic abuse into sharp relief, as many victims will have been caught in lockdown with their abusers. All at the same time, that access to support, and opportunities for intervention, were significantly reduced.
   
Therefore, the work of organisations like Crimestoppers is so important, and I really welcome their partnership with the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse to raise greater awareness of domestic abuse. It’s vital that there is greater understanding of what to look out for, and, most importantly, what to do if you need help or are worried about someone you know.

Too often concerns can be dismissed as ‘a private matter’, or as friends or neighbours ‘meddling’ in something that’s not their business. However, domestic abuse truly is ‘everyone’s business’ and we all have a responsibility to speak up and respond.

I understand that calling the police can feel daunting, and so Crimestoppers can take calls and online forms from anyone who is worried. This information can be passed to the police – 100% anonymously – which can help them to build up a better picture of what might be going on, in order to better support victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

However, if you fear someone is in immediate danger, do always call 999.
 

As the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, one of my roles is to raise awareness of domestic abuse, and to stand up for victims and survivors. I look forward to working closely with Crimestoppers and other partners in this campaign, in the hope that we can help to bring domestic abuse out of the shadows. This will be critical to help victims and survivors to get the support they so desperately need.

 
Nicole Jacobs, a former Chief Executive Officer at charity Standing Together Against Domestic Violence, has more than two decades of experience working to reduce domestic abuse, including as a frontline practitioner, in senior operational and management roles, and as a trainer and strategic leader.