Over 1,000 arrests involving domestic abuse in Devon and Cornwall during lockdown
It comes as our police force backs a new campaign to tackle the issue
More than 1,000 arrests were made for domestic abuse-related crimes in Devon and Cornwall during the first coronavirus lockdown, new figures reveal.
With a fifth of all crime nationally during lockdown involving domestic abuse, Refuge said the problem is the "biggest social issue" facing women and girls today.
Figures from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services show Devon and Cornwall Police made 1,618 arrests for domestic abuse-related crimes between April and June, when the toughest national Covid-19 restrictions were imposed.
There were also 109 voluntary attendances at police stations, where a suspect agrees to meet officers at a station as an alternative to being arrested.
Separate figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest domestic abuse crimes were already rising in Devon and Cornwall before the pandemic struck.
In the year to March, 21% of all crimes in the area were linked to domestic abuse (20,881) – an increase on the 19% the year before.
It comes as Devon and Cornwall Police back a new campaign to help tackle the issue.
Rise in recorded domestic abuse offences across Cornwall and Devon
Assistant Chief Constable Jim Colwell said the increase reflected efforts by the force and partners to encourage people to report incidents and urged businesses to play their part in tackling the issue.
He added: “Preventing and investigating domestic abuse remains a big priority and we are working hard to encourage victims or people who suspect abuse is happening to speak up. Working together with our partners we will help and support anyone needing to break free from an abusive relationship.
“Taking positive action is at the heart of our response which includes transparently recording all incidents, accurately identifying risk and allocating specialist resources to investigate and safeguard victims and families.
“For all our successes there are still a those that are fearful of coming forwards or don’t believe that their situation is important enough to be taken seriously. The harm, physical or psychological, caused to those affected by domestic abuse should not be underestimated and we take every report seriously."
He added: "As an employer, Devon & Cornwall Police have introduced a new system to encourage our staff and officers to feel confident to come forward and report domestic abuse. This includes marking incident logs as confidential and ensuring allegations are investigated by separate command units to support staff with any concern or fear of embarrassment.
“We need a collective effort to break the cycle and I would urge all employers to look at the useful toolkit and find ways to make reporting easier.”
Assistant Chief Constable Jim Colwell, Devon and Cornwall Police
Across England and Wales, domestic abuse offences have risen steadily as a proportion of all crimes for the last four years, reaching 15% in 2019-20.
This spiked in April, May and June when roughly a fifth (21%, 20% and 19%) of offences recorded by police were flagged as domestic abuse related.
As restrictions eased, this proportion fell slightly – likely to be due to overall police-recorded crime increasing following the lockdown.
Police forces (excluding Greater Manchester) recorded 198,112 offences between April and June – 9% more than the same months in 2019, and 17% more than two years ago.
Refuge said there was a general increase in demand for domestic abuse services at this time, and it continues to see peaks in demand three weeks into the second lockdown.
Lisa King, director of communications and external relations at the charity, said: "It is important to remember that behind all of these statistics are real woman and their experiences.
"These numbers refer to instances of physical violence, rape, sexual assault, emotional and psychological abuse, coercive control, FGM, forced marriage and other forms of gender-based violence.
"Domestic abuse is biggest social issue facing women and girls today, and these statistics show it simply isn't going away."
There was also a small rise (2%) in the number of child protection referrals as a result of domestic abuse-related incidents and crimes over the three months compared with the same period in 2019.
There were 56,945 child protection referrals over this time – with 1,470 in Devon and Cornwall.
Barnardo’s said families were facing new financial and emotional pressures during the pandemic so while "deeply sad", the figures are not a shock.
Chief Executive Javed Khan said: “Children are the hidden victims of domestic abuse, not just bystanders. Lockdowns have left too many children trapped in unsafe homes, and missing out on vital support.
"In many cases we know that without timely help, children go on to experience further abuse in their own relationships and risk becoming trapped in a life-long cycle of violence."
Safeguarding Minister Victoria Atkins said the Government's Domestic Abuse Bill, currently awaiting its second reading in the House of Lords, will strengthen protections for victims and also ensure perpetrators feel the full force of the law.
She added: “We are acutely aware that for some people home is not a safe place and that the pandemic put those people in greater danger.
"That is why we are taking action, alongside our partners including the police, to better protect victims, bring perpetrators to justice, and learn from deaths to prevent future tragedies."