Length of abuse and access to services: Insights briefing

It’s essential that domestic abuse is identified and responded to as quickly as possible, to limit the harm caused. Who you are and where you are also has a significant impact on how fast you can expect to get the help you need. Too many people are being left to face abuse alone, for too long.

On average it takes three years for those experiencing domestic abuse in England and Wales to access support from a service. In Scotland, it is four years. But our analysis of Insights data also shows a wide variation in the length of an abusive relationship, highlighting that some victims are less likely to receive early help.

This briefing looks at the data for a number of factors including age, whether victims live with the person or people causing harm, so-called ‘honour’-based violence and LGBT+ victims to reveal a picture of the length of abuse and access to service.

It concludes with recommendations for policymakers and practitioners.