Only 8% of domestic abuse reports led to a charge or summons nationally, ONS figures show
There's been nearly 850,000 reports in England and Wales last year
ONS figures suggested that most cases of domestic abuse will not see perpetrators charged, with just 8% of cases of domestic abuse nationally result in a charge or summons.
It also found that police made 33 arrests per 100 domestic abuse-related crimes and there was a 22% increase in calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in England.
It reported that 7% of women aged 16 to 74 - 1.6 million - suffered domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020.
The report also found that women's experiences intensified during national COVID-19 lockdowns as well.
Meghan Elkin, joint head of the ONS Centre for Crime and Justice, said:
"Our research finds that the effect of these crimes on women and girls is significant and often long-lasting. It is a problem which is regrettably not going away.
"Our evidence suggests that experiences of domestic abuse may have intensified during periods of national lockdown as victims faced difficulties in safely seeking support under these conditions."
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