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Sexual abuse

New Figures Reveal Alarming Prevalence of Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault, and Stalking in England and Wales

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Around one in 10 people aged 16 and over in England and Wales have experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, according to new data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday. The combined prevalence of these crimes is estimated to be around 10.6% of the population, with women being more likely to experience them than men. The data, collected as part of the Crime Survey for England and Wales, also shows that around 5.1 million people aged 16 and over have experienced one of these crime types, with 3.2 million being women and nearly 2 million being men.

Key Takeaways:

  • One in 10 people aged 16 and over in England and Wales (10.6%) experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking in the year to March 2025.
  • Women are more likely to experience these crimes, with an estimated one in eight (12.5%) experiencing at least one type of crime, compared to one in 12 (8.3%) for men.
  • The estimated 5.1 million people aged 16 and over who experienced one of these crimes included 3.2 million women and nearly 2 million men.
  • The combined prevalence of these crimes is higher than the previous year, with 11.3% of people experiencing such crimes in 2024.
  • The Labour government's pledge to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade has been met with skepticism, with campaign groups and charities warning that underfunding is a major obstacle to achieving this goal.
  • A cross-government VAWG strategy is expected to be published later this year, which will provide more detail on the use of the new estimate and other ways to measure progress against the target.

Sources:

  • Office for National Statistics (ONS): "Prevalence of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking in England and Wales, 2024-25" (Thursday)
  • The Guardian: "Millions of people in England and Wales have experienced domestic abuse, sex assault or stalking" (Thursday)
  • Government of the United Kingdom: "Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy"
  • Refuge: "Statement from Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge, on the Government's Commitment to Halve VAWG Within 10 Years" (Earlier this month)
  • PA: "Government figures reveal prevalence of domestic abuse, sex assault and stalking in England and Wales" (Thursday)

Statistics:

  • 10.6% of people aged 16 and over in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking in the year to March 2025.
  • 5.1 million people aged 16 and over experienced one of these crimes, with 3.2 million being women and nearly 2 million being men.
  • 11.3% of people experienced such crimes in 2024.
  • 12.5% of women aged 16 and over experienced at least one type of crime, compared to 8.3% of men.
  • 2025: the year in which the data was collected
  • 10: the decade in which the Labour government aims to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG).

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