Cordis Pulse: February 2019
February 2019
The human and financial cost of domestic abuse is explored in a Home Office report published this month. We regularly undertake research and evaluations on domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women and girls: for central government, local authorities, police and crime commissioners, and independent sector organisations. For instance, we are undertaking research with victims, users of violence, and children about the impact of domestic abuse and whether and how new Department for Education Social Care Innovation Programme projects are helping to improve outcomes. We are also conducting evaluations of a regional whole-system response to domestic abuse, a regional perpetrator programme as well as victims needs assessments which focus on domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women and girls.
As the Home Office report makes clear, the financial cost of domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women and girls – to individuals, to services and to communities as a whole – is huge (and for an interesting perspective on these numbers listen to More or Less on BBC Radio 4). We are helping to identify how new programmes and approaches can offer taxpayers value for money. That said, what is clear from our research is that the human cost of domestic violence is massive. That alone should be sufficient motivation to invest significant resources in evidence-based programmes and approaches that tackle domestic abuse when it occurs and also work to prevent it from arising in the first place.