HC Deb 11 December 2000 vol 359 cc51-3W
Mr. Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported incidences of domestic violence there were involving(a) grievous bodily harm and (b) death for England and Wales in the years 1980 to 2000. [141688]

Mr. Boateng

The information requested on reported incidents of domestic violence involving grievous bodily harm is not available. Offences recorded by the police do not separately identify domestic violence.

The most readily available information on the number of recorded homicides where the principal suspect is the current or former spouse, cohabitant or lover is as follows:

Offences currently1 recorded as homicide where the victim was the spouse or former spouse, cohabitant or lover England and Wales
Year Number
1988 126
1989 136
1990 121
1991 150
1992 137
1993 111
1994 130
1995 131
1996 119
1997 130
1997–98 130
1998–99 112
1 As at 29 October 1999; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and courts as further information becomes available.

Some information on the extent of domestic violence against men and women is available from the British Crime Survey (BCS). The survey does not include grievous bodily harm as a category and, as a survey of victims, does not hold data on deaths.

The estimated number of incidents of domestic violence measured by the BCS is as follows:

Number of BCS incidents of domestic violence, 1981 to 1999 England and Wales
Thousand
Number
1981 292
1983 288
1987 443
1991 538
1993 1,178
1995 990
1997 834
1999 761

Source

1982, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000 British Crime Survey

The number of victims reporting domestic violence incidents to the BCS is relatively low and results are subject to sampling error.

The 1996 BCS included a special self-completion component that addressed the extent of domestic violence in 1995. Respondents recorded significantly more incidents when asked about domestic violence via a self-completion module. This found a best estimate of 6.5 million 'domestic assaults' against men and women during 1995, and that 2.9 million of these incidents resulted in injury. A report is in the Library (Home Office Research Study No. 191).

Mr. Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been victims of domestic violence in each of the last 20 years. [141679]

Mr. Boateng

The information requested is not centrally available.

Information is available on the numbers of homicides where the victim was a son or daughter.

Offences currently1 recorded as homicide where the victim was a son or daughter
England and Wales
Year Number
1988 78
1989 46
1990 51
1991 66
1992 53
1993 53
1994 58
1995 55
1996 59
1997 52
1997–98 49
1998–99 69
1 As at 29 October 1999; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and courts as further information becomes available.