Calls to domestic abuse helplines rose considerably during lockdown
Figures were up by around 22% on last year
Last updated 24th Nov 2021
Calls to domestic abuse helplines increased significantly at the height of the pandemic.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed that there were just under 50,000 calls to the national domestic abuse hotline, run by charity Refuge, in England.
The number, spanning from March 2020 to March 2021, was up 22% on the figures from 2019.
The ONS also revealed that the rise in calls was likely to have been driven by the imposing of lockdowns.
Similarly, Mankind, a charity to help male victims of domestic abuse, saw a 23% increase in calls to its helpline from the previous year.
The charity announced that it had received on average 1,759 monthly calls from victims and 529 on their behalf, up from 1,355 and 500 twelve months prior.
It is not known from these figures whether more people were subject to domestic abuse or whether the severity of the abuse taking place was intensified.
Under the tightest lockdown restrictions, those facing domestic abuse were allowed to leave their homes to seek refuge.
However, only 37% women fleeing their homes in England were given protection in the past year due to a lack of space.
While the number of refuge beds in England has increased to 4,277, it remains well below recommended levels.