Victims of domestic abuse were at greater risk during the covid-19 pandemic when lockdown restrictions made it even harder to escape their abusers, says an official inspection into policing of domestic abuse during the pandemic.
The inspectors reported that the charge rate for domestic abuse crimes in England and Wales continues to fall: “This is despite forces increasing their focus on victims.” On average across England and Wales, there is only a 25 percent chance that a perpetrator of domestic abuse will be charged or cautioned, the inspectors found.
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Zoë Billingham said: “The police responded proactively by communicating with known victims, reaching-in to those locked down, rather than waiting for them to reach out. We saw brilliant examples of forces up and down the country using innovative new ways to keep victims safe during the pandemic. I applaud forces for this. I also want to thank frontline officers who bravely risked their own safety to attend domestic abuse incidents throughout the lockdown periods.
“The police have shown they are dedicated to protecting victims of domestic abuse, but we still have some concerns about the longer-term response. While we know that not all victims want their case to go to court – and in fact some crimes are reported by third parties – we want the police to take the right action, using the powers only they have to protect victims. It’s a huge concern that on average, three in every four domestic abuse related crimes are closed by the police without the perpetrator being charged. Many forces are unable to explain the reasons why so many perpetrators are not being brought to justice. Today we are calling on all forces to immediately review why so many domestic abuse cases are being closed without any further action taken and to take steps to address this.
“Despite these concerns, there has been a positive shift over the last few years with the police prioritising domestic abuse, and victims should not be discouraged from reporting. The police have improved their understanding, identification and recording of domestic abuse, while continuing to find new and innovative ways to support victims.”
A Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) review found that on average, three in every four domestic abuse crimes reported to the police are closed without the perpetrator being charged – a situation which has gradually worsened over the last five years.
The inspectorate also said it had significant concerns about court backlogs, which may increase the likelihood of victims disengaging from the criminal justice process.
HMIC says that it doesn’t believe that a caution is appropriate in most domestic abuse cases; and the rate at which the police issue cautions to domestic abuse
perpetrators continues to fall. Usually, the police use a caution for low-level offending where a person admits their guilt. The offenders receive a warning, but don’t attend court or receive a conviction.
For the 55-page review visit the HMIC website.
