§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate how many women reported domestic violence for the years(a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98, indicating the methodology used in his estimate. [71782]
§ Mr. BoatengRecorded crime statistics relate to offence type, not to the relationship between offender and victim. There is, therefore, no definitive figure for the number of crimes which are domestic in nature.
Statistical returns submitted to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) by police forces in England and Wales have included a figure on domestic violence incidents, but, until now, the definition of "domestic violence" has been interpreted very differently between forces. From April 1999, HMIC will be adopting a narrower, but common, definition.
The 1996 British Crime Survey included a new computerised self-completion questionnaire designed to give the most reliable findings to date on the extent of domestic violence in England and Wales.
The report on the findings of this questionnaire (Home Office Research Study 191) was published on 21 January 1999, and a copy has been placed in the Library. 4.2 per cent. of women said they had been physically assaulted by a current or former partner in the last year. The police were told of 9 per cent. of incidents against women who reported one or two attacks, and 22 per cent. of incidents against women who reported three or more attacks. Medical staff were the next most likely to hear of incidents.