Domestic violence often remains hidden, and is still considered by some as a private matter. The personal and intimate nature of this issue is connected to the shame and stigma that can surround it; all of which can result in not reporting or discussing the issue. The BCS (2006) reported that 34% of women have probably never told anyone about the abuse that they are suffering.
One of the risk factors for serious injury or homicide is the point of separation. The fear of disclosing Domestic Violence is justified. Almost half of all women murdered by their partners had left or were in the process of leaving the relationship when they were murdered.
Domestic Violence includes acts such as forced marriage and female genital mutilation, and other harm committed in the name of honour. Research indicates that sexual violence is present in the vast majority of cases of domestic violence. National statistics show that 47% of serious sexual assaults, and 54% of rapes (including attempts), are committed by a current or former partner of the victim.
The areas of sexual violence and domestic violence share many overlapping issues, including the taboo nature of the subjects, the violation of intimate boundaries, the sense of loss, and the shame often internalised by the victim. In terms of managing offenders, we now know that people who commit sexual violence within a domestic violence context often go on to sexually assault strangers (Richards 2004).
Victims of domestic sexual violence are likely to have suffered sustained and severe violence in other forms. 29% of women leaving a sexually violent relationship, compared to 18% leaving a non sexually violent relationship, found that the violence continued after the relationship was terminated, in the form of harassment and stalking.
80% of New Futures 4 service users in 2005-6 had been a victim of domestic violence and sexual violence. Women may be forced into prostitution as part of the domestic violence, or be more vulnerable in general to involvement in prostitution, through substance use issues related to coping with the violence, prior exposure or other experiences.
