Definition and Measurement of Violence in the Crime Survey for England and Wales: Implications for the Amount and Gendering of Violence

Elouise Davies, Polina Obolenskaya, Brian Francis, Niels Blom, Jessica Phoenix, Merili Pullerits and Sylvia Walby

The British Journal of Criminology, 2025, vol. 65, issue 2, 261-281

Abstract: The definitions and the methodology used in surveys to measure violence have implications for its estimated volume and gendered distribution. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) uses quite a narrow definition of ‘violence against the person’ which excludes crimes which are arguably violent in nature. This article expands the CSEW’s measurement of violence by regarding threats, robbery, sexual violence and mixed violence/property crimes as violence. This results in a shift in the gender distribution of violence, with a higher proportion of violence against women (from 39% to 58%) and by domestic perpetrators (from 29% to 32%). Impacts of violence (injuries and emotional harm) are also affected by the change in definition and disproportionally so for women.

Keywords: Crime Survey for England and Wales; measurement; domestic violence; violence; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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