Developing and Testing New Domestic Abuse Questions and Approach for the Crime Survey for England and Wales

Marianne Hester (), Sarah-Jane Walker, Eldin Fahmy and Andy Myhill
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Marianne Hester: School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TZ, UK
Sarah-Jane Walker: School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TZ, UK
Eldin Fahmy: School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TZ, UK
Andy Myhill: College of Policing, 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU, UK

Social Sciences, 2023, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-35

Abstract: Previous research highlighted that a fundamental rethink of the measurement of domestic abuse was needed in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW). The research reported here aimed to develop and test new questions on domestic abuse for the CSEW to improve the headline prevalence measure, including frequency of abuse, to develop a way of measuring controlling or coercive behavior within the overall prevalence measure, and to develop a measure of the impact of abuse. The research included focus groups and interviews with victims (n = 27) to assess a set of draft questions and cognitive testing of revised questions with victims and the general public (n = 42). A final set of 24 questions was developed for use with victims of both intimate partner and family abuse, with an additional question for family abuse. The new questions were found to echo victim experiences and were deemed acceptable and reliable measures by victims and the general public for domestic abuse, including controlling and/or coercive behavior and impact. An analytical approach was recommended to improve the headline prevalence measure of domestic abuse by establishing ‘high’ and ‘low’ abuse profiles using measures of both behavior and impact.

Keywords: domestic abuse; measurement; coercive control; impact; abuse profiles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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