35 Refuge and domestic violence facts

Since pioneering the world's first refuge in Chiswick, London in 1971, Refuge has grown to become the country's largeat provider of specialist accommodation and emotional and practical support to women and children experiencing domestic violence.

The statistics:

1. Domestic violence kills more 19-44 year old women than any other cause, including cancer, traffic accidents and war

2. One woman in four will experience domestic violence at some point in her life

3. Every week two women are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales

4. In a family household where domestic violence occurs, 90% of domestic violence incidents happen when children are in the same or next room

5. Every year domestic violence costs the state, employers and victims £23 billion

The facts:

6. Domestic violence is the result of an abuser’s need for power and control.  Where there is an imbalance of power there is likely to be abuse

7. Domestic violence is the abuse of one partner within an intimate or family relationship. It is the repeated, random and habitual use of intimidation to control a partner

8. Domestic violence can be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual

9. Any woman can experience domestic violence regardless of her age, background, income or education

10. Any man can be an abuser, whether he’s a high court judge, teacher or mechanic

Refuge’s history:

11. 1971 - Refuge (formerly Chiswick Women’s Aid) opened the world’s first refuge for women and children escaping domestic violence in Chiswick, London

12. 1971 - Jack Ashley became the first MP to raise the issue of domestic violence in Parliament after hearing about the work of Chiswick Women’s Aid

13. 1975 - the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee on ‘violence in marriage’ was set up.  From this came many of the recommendations that led to the 1976 Bill

14. 1976 - the first Domestic Violence Bill (the Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings Act) with new rights for those at risk of violence was passed

15. 1983 - the Refuge domestic violence helpline became a 24 hour service

16. 1985 - Refuge launched its first major awareness raising campaign calling for police action on domestic violence which influenced the Metropolitan Police Service’s Force Order

17. 1987 - the Metropolitan Police Service issued the first Force Order which required forces to take domestic violence seriously.  They also set up their first domestic violence unit

18. 1992 - Sandra Horley, Refuge’s chief executive, was called as an expert witness by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC to give evidence in a landmark case

19. 1993 – the organisation was renamed Refuge in order to reflect the charity’s national status in the presence of HRH Diana, Princess of Wales

20. 1994 - Refuge was on the brink of closure due to lack of funds.  The organisation’s crisis was raised in the House of Lords and the media resulting in increased public support

21. 1995/6 – three new refuges opened in Lewisham which allowed Refuge to provide emergency accommodation for up to 70 women and 180 children at any one time 

22. Over the next few years Refuge opened a further 128 units of refuge accommodation across the country and outreach services in 14 areas

23. 1996 – Refuge celebrated its 25^th birthday Refuge’s 24 hour helpline increases the number of available lines from one to five

24. 1996/7 – Refuge’s 24 hour helpline increases the number of available lines from one to five and is relocated to donated central Londonoffice space.  Until then it had been run by volunteers working from a refuge. 

25. 1999 - Sandra Horleywas appointed OBE for ‘services to the protection of women and children’

26. 2000 – Refuge and Waterstones launched the award winning ‘Domestic violence – it’s a matter of life and death’ with Sheryl Gascoigne.  The campaign generated in excess of 47,500,000 ‘opportunities to see’ in a wide range of media

27. 2001 – Refuge and Cosmopolitan celebrated their joint 30th birthday with a year long awareness raising and fundraising campaign

28. 2003 - Refuge launched the Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline in partnership with Women’s Aid, answering over 60,000 calls a year

29. 2003/04 – Refuge launched the award winning 'Don’t Ignore It' campaign which uses advertisements as a metaphor for the way in which society continues to hide, excuse and ignore domestic violence – this campaign continues today

30. 2004 – Refuge launched a new website offering confidential online support and information about domestic violence

31. 2004 – Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act is given royal assent.  This is the first piece of domestic violence legislation for nearly 30 years

32. 2005/6 – Refuge launched the advertising campaign focusing on the effects of domestic violence on children, ‘Don’t Ignore It, They Can’t’

33. 2006, Refuge’s 35^th birthday – Refuge remains committed to lobbying the Government to implement a fully funded, national domestic violence strategy

34. Today Refuge is the country’s largest provider of emergency accommodation and practical and emotional support for women and children experiencing domestic violence, supporting over 900 women and children on any one day

35. Throughout 2006 Refuge is celebrating the thousands of women and children we have supported in the last thirty five years and all the women and children we will support in the future.  To find out how you can support Refuge click here.