FOI 232771

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 232771

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 2^nd March 2023.  Please find below the response to your request:

Please can you provide the number of victims of domestic abuse aged under 18 that have been referred into victims support services for the following time periods:

1) 30 January 2021 – 29 January 2022
2) 30 January 2022 – 29 January 2023

Reply

West Mercia Police holds the information you have requested

Please can you provide the number of victims of domestic abuse aged under 18 that have been referred into victims support services for the following time periods:

1) 30 January 2021 – 29 January 2022
2) 30 January 2022 – 29 January 2023

Caveat: Where a referral has been made a marker is attached to the investigation report as appose to the individual.  Where an incident occurred between two parents, where four children were present whilst there may be 5 referrals only one marker is linked to the investigation.  The number we have provided is the number of reports which include this marker rather than how many individual persons were referred.

Within West Mercia when recording Domestic Abuse incidents children who may linked to the main parties are linked to the report as involved parties, not victims.  As these children could have been negatively affected by witnessing the Domestic Abuse they can also be referred to victim services for support. 

The DA Act recognises the devastating impact that DA can have on children. Section 3 DA Act came into force on 31 January 2022 and specifically provides that a child, (under18 years old), who sees, hears, or experiences the effects of DA and is related to the victim or the suspect is also to be regarded as a victim of DA. This will help to ensure that locally commissioned services consider and address the needs of children affected by DA. This does not create any new offence in relation to DA, but prosecutors should be reminded that children that fall within the above definition should be flagged as victims.

Incidents between children where the relationship is not romantic, for example siblings or cousins will be recorded as child incidents and the Domestic Abuse markers will not be added and are not included within this return.