Disclosing domestic abuse — no wrong door
Insight from the Citizens Advice frontline
When someone experiences domestic abuse, it doesn’t only cause problems in their relationship. It can mean they have to find somewhere new to live. It can mean they have to go to court as a witness. It can mean they’ve been forced into debt or can no longer access their joint-account or assets.
It’s difficult for victims to speak up about abuse and get support: only a minority of victims ever speak to specialist services. So it’s vital we understand how domestic abuse intersects with other problems and where else victims may be getting support or accessing services, from GPs to housing officers, creditors to school teachers.
At Citizens Advice, it’s something we have front of mind. While thousands of people come to us and actively disclose domestic abuse, we know there will be thousands more who don’t. So we’re training our advisers to identify domestic abuse with a sensitive approach during unaccompanied face-to-face advice sessions. Advisers are then able to provide support and advice to those who need it. This approach has led to an 800% increase in the number of people who tell us they are currently experiencing domestic abuse.
This growing number of disclosures has led us to reconsider how domestic abuse intersects with other issues. We’ve examined our data to find what presenting problems (the issues that first cause people to seek help from Citizens Advice) are linked to domestic abuse. By understanding these links, we hope to encourage other frontline professionals, as well as members of the public, to think about their role in recognising abuse and to consider how to respond appropriately to disclosure.
We want to make sure whoever victims of domestic abuse speak to, they can get the support they need.
Where do we get our insight into victims of domestic abuse?
In 2015–16, Citizens Advice helped almost 5,000 people face to face with issues about domestic abuse and our web pages on domestic abuse were visited 70,000 times. Here we draw on a range of insight from these interactions — both face to face and online. We’ve surveyed Citizens Advice advisers and a nationally representative cross section of the population. We’ve also drawn insight from the Citizens Advice Witness Service which supported 34,000 witnesses involved in a domestic abuse case last year.
People with domestic abuse problems are likely to experience other problems too
The effects of domestic abuse are not limited to the relationship between a perpetrator and a victim. Domestic abuse can occur alongside, cause or worsen other problems: 9 in 10 of the people we help with a domestic abuse issue also have another problem.
In most cases, it’s those other problems which cause someone to seek our help.
Our data shows that other than relationship issues, clients with a domestic abuse issue also disclose problems with money (in 48% of cases), housing (30%) and the law (36%).
In many cases, this is the presenting problem — the main reason somebody came to Citizens Advice. When we asked our advisers what the primary issue was that led a victim of domestic abuse to come to Citizens Advice, they reported debt, benefits and housing as top of the list.
Finances are a big issue for victims of domestic abuse
Financial problems are a significant issue for many victims of domestic abuse. For some, they can create a barrier to escaping and moving on from abuse.
Life changes associated with domestic abuse — like moving house or getting a divorce — can result in problems with debt and benefits. They can also be caused directly by the perpetrator through what is known as financial abuse.
Money problems range from benefits and tax credit issues to credit card debts
Almost a third (32%) of people who come to Citizens Advice with a domestic abuse issue also have an issue to do with benefits and tax credits. 1 in 10 (11%) have an issue with working and child tax credits and 1 in 9 (12%) have an issue to do with housing benefits.
Almost 1 in 6 (16%) people with a domestic abuse issue also have a debt issue such as council tax arrears (5%) or credit, store and charge card debts (4%).
For many, money problems are the reason for a visit to Citizens Advice: 3 in 5 (59%) advisers reported debt, benefits or other finance issues are the primary reason to seek advice.
Money issues can be easier to acknowledge than domestic abuse. Understanding the link between abuse and debt or changes to finances can help advisers respond appropriately.
That’s why we’ve worked with the sector and the British Bankers’ Association to develop some common guidelines to improve their service for victims and survivors of abuse.
Housing problems are common for victims of domestic abuse
Many victims of domestic abuse face problems with housing. We know through our frontline data that almost a third (30%) of people with a domestic abuse issue also have a housing issue.
9% of our clients with a domestic abuse issue have an issue with access to and provision of accommodation. 9% have an issue with threatened homelessness. 5% have an issue with actual homelessness.
Housing is often the primary reason for a victim to choose to seek help. 1 in 5 (19%) of Citizens Advice advisers report that the issue people with a domestic abuse issue come to them with tends to be housing.
Even when granted temporary emergency accommodation, people can lose entitlements to council housing or be sent to the bottom of the housing list as they’ve been deemed “intentionally homeless”.
There’s a strong case to train up housing officers to spot and respond to abuse: three quarters (73%) of the public think training would be good or essential. Many housing associations have taken a lead by working with specialist domestic abuse charities to improve their staff confidence and skills in identifying and responding to domestic abuse.
Victims of domestic abuse often have to resolve their problems through the justice system
A third (36%) of the people we see with a domestic abuse issue have a legal issue too.
Victims of domestic abuse often have to deal with legal issues relating to their family or a crime. This might mean reporting abuse to the police, resolving issues with children and finances after a separation or going to a criminal court as a witness to give evidence against the perpetrator.
As criminal justice makes up three quarters of these legal issues, agencies interacting with courts or police play an important role in supporting victims.
There are numerous barriers to victims of domestic abuse engaging with the criminal justice system about domestic abuse: only a fifth of victims ever tell the police, and reporting domestic abuse may happen after years of incidents. 1 in 5 (22%) Citizens Advice advisers say police are usually aware of the domestic abuse that their clients discuss by the time they’ve come to Citizens Advice.
So it’s crucial that the police are trained to spot and respond appropriately to situations where domestic abuse may be ongoing. When we asked the public who should be trained up to spot and respond to domestic abuse, 91% said police training would be essential or good.
Historically, police action on domestic abuse hasn’t been good enough: the organisation with responsibility for inspecting the police highlighted major failuresin 2014 and last year Citizens Advice helped with more than 100 domestic abuse cases involving problems with police behaviour. However, there is evidence of police forces around the country improving their training to respond appropriately to abuse.
For victims who do tell the police about abuse, their involvement may not end there. Victims may have to give evidence against their perpetrator in court. This means court staff and legal professionals also have a role to play in supporting victims. Almost 1 in 5 of the witnesses Citizens Advice helps through the Witness Service are involved in a domestic abuse case — that’s 34,000 people every year.
We all have a role in responding to domestic abuse
This data highlights that domestic abuse affects many aspects of people’s lives and we all have a role to play in responding to domestic abuse.
There should be no wrong door for a victim trying to disclose domestic abuse. The first interaction a victim of domestic abuse has is vital in ensuring they feel believed and supported. It’s clear that professionals, from police to housing providers, and friends and family, have the opportunity to provide a better service for victims of domestic abuse upon disclosure.
Many sectors — from banks to housing providers — have taken a lead in improving the services they provide for victims of domestic abuse. As a result of a recent court ruling, the government is beginning to improve processes — like those for accessing legal aid — so victims of domestic abuse can access the support they need to resolve their problems.
But there is further to go. Citizens Advice is undertaking a programme of researchinto what support, advice and services victims of domestic abuse need to be safe and able to move on with their lives. Through our Talk about abuse campaign, we are highlighting the role of friends and family in helping victims of abuse to get help.
Are you experiencing domestic abuse or concerned about someone you know? Find information, advice and support here.
