Sign in Subscribe
Sexual abuse

Violence Against Women and Girls: New Data Reveals Alarming Prevalence

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Women and girls in England and Wales are experiencing alarming levels of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking, with one in eight women falling victim to at least one of these crimes in the past year. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), approximately 3.2 million women aged over 16 were victims of these offences in the year to March, while 2 million men suffered from similar experiences, representing a rate of 1 in 12.

Key Takeaways:

  • The ONS figures reveal that one in eight women (12.8%) and one in ten people aged over 16 (10.6%) in England and Wales were victims of at least one of the crime types (domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking) in the year to March 2025.
  • The Labour Party's pledge to halve rates of violence against women and girls requires a reduction in offences to below 1.7 million by 2034, with the current rate standing at 3.2 million for women and 2 million for men.
  • The government's strategy to achieve this pledge will be published by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in September, which includes initiatives such as specialist teams in 999 control rooms and new perpetrator programs.
  • Shoplifting offences increased by 20% to 530,643, with a record 151,220 "theft from the person" offences (phone snatches, theft of handbags, etc.) also recorded by police.
  • Knife crime increased in London, accounting for nearly a third of all knife-related offences in England and Wales, while the national rate decreased by 1% to 53,047.
  • Overall crime rates increased by 7% to 9.4 million incidents, mainly due to a 31% increase in fraud, which was first measured in the survey in 2016-17.
  • Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized Labour's handling of the issue, pointing to the decline in officer numbers and increase in crime.

Statistics:

  • 3.2 million women aged over 16 were victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking in the year to March, representing a rate of 1 in 8.
  • 2 million men suffered from similar experiences, representing a rate of 1 in 12.
  • 10.6% of all people aged 16 and over in England and Wales were likely to have experienced one or more of these crime types in the year to March 2025.
  • 20% increase in shoplifting offences to 530,643.
  • Record 151,220 "theft from the person" offences recorded by police.
  • 1% decrease in knife crime to 53,047 nationally.
  • 7% increase in overall crime rates to 9.4 million incidents.
  • 31% increase in fraud, from 2016-17 to the present.

Sources:

  • Office for National Statistics (ONS) - no date provided
  • Labour Party - no date provided
  • Home Secretary Yvette Cooper - no date provided
  • Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp - no date provided

Read more