Funding to research domestic abuse in Cumbria

Cumbria’s police force and a university have been awarded funding to research the patterns of rural domestic abuse.

With over 10 million people in England and Wales living in rural settings, this collaborative research project between Cumbria Constabulary and the University of Leeds has far-reaching potential to positively impact those affected by domestic abuse.

They have been given Police Science and Technology funding to research The Geospatial and Contextual Patterns of Rural Domestic Abuse.

The research, supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and funded by the Policing Chief Scientific Advisor, will be conducted in collaboration with Dr Sam Lewis and Dr Dan Birks from the School of Law, with support from the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA), at the University of Leeds.

The project builds upon previous work by Cumbria Constabulary and Sam Lewis to explore police responses to child-to-parent violence that was funded by the N8 Policing Research Partnership (PRP).

The bid evidenced the need for further research into domestic abuse in rural settings, citing the disparity between reporting of rural domestic abuse incidents, the frequency and severity of occurrence and the impact this has on police resourcing.

UK police follow an evidence-led policing model. This means that resources are allocated on crime data. The findings of this research will improve the data available on rural domestic abuse to use in the evaluation of resourcing needs going forward.

The findings from this important study will be published, providing an opportunity for the knowledge produced to shape policy and practice developments in the policing of rural spaces in England, Wales and further afield.

‘This research is vital’

Superintendent Dan StQuintin, Constabulary lead for the public protection unit and lead for the project, said: “This research is vital. To best support victims we need to identify the true scale of domestic abuse in rural settings.

“It is the first research of its kind and will really improve our geographical understanding of what is happening in Cumbria and to who. This will give us better insight into the very serious issue so we can further improve our services to domestic abuse victims.

“DA remains one of the most underreported crimes. The unfortunate reality is that potentially only one-third of DA crimes are reported. This is exacerbated in the rural community by many factors including conditioning, fear, or people not knowing what support is available to them.

“The data will also help us better understand offending in these communities so we can look to hold offenders accountable and challenge behaviour.

“Whilst domestic abuse does affect both male and female victims, the majority of victims are female. This welcome funding is going to provide further opportunities to improve the safety of women and girls in Cumbria with far-reaching potential.

“The Constabulary take protecting women and girls from violence incredibly seriously. In addition to this research, we have recently conducted an extensive survey through our Call It Out campaign. It received over 5,000 responses from females in Cumbria. Questions included how safe females felt in their homes. The feedback is being evaluated by officers and partner agencies to identify areas for service improvements.

“No one should have to live their lives in fear. If you are affected by domestic abuse, please report it to the police so we can help. All reports are taken seriously and are duly investigated by officers. However, if you do not wish to report it to police them please contact independent charity Victim Support, who can provide support tailored to your needs.”

Higher rates of violence

Dr Sam Lewis, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, said: “Evidence from the USA, Australia and elsewhere suggests that rates of violence against women in rural communities may be higher than in urban and suburban areas. To date, however, research on rural domestic abuse in England and Wales is rare.

“Developing a data-driven response to the issue is complicated by significant underreporting which might vary by geography. This project responds to these concerns, combining evidence from large administrative datasets with accounts from local practitioners to better understand the spatial aspects of rural domestic abuse and inform service delivery.”

Professor Paul Taylor, Policing Chief Scientific Advisor, said: “This project is a great example of how policing and academia can collaborate effectively to tackle an issue that touches many communities. The team’s vision, together with their understanding of the potential impact the project could have on the lives of domestic abuse victims, make it a worthy recipient of the competitive Police STAR Funding, which supports innovative projects. I look forward to seeing what the project achieves.”

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall said: “Supporting victims of domestic abuse, holding offenders to account and building a greater understanding of offender patterns is vital.

“The Home Office funding, for the Constabulary and Leeds University research project into the patterns of rural domestic abuse in the county is important, especially as domestic abuse nationally, as well as locally, is still underreported.

“Research into the imbalance between the reporting of rural domestic abuse incidents and the level and severity of its occurrence will help to build an accurate and updated picture of what is happening in the county.

“I would like to take this opportunity to encourage any victim of domestic or sexual abuse to report it to police. We understand it is difficult, but the police are here to help. Your report will be taken seriously and appropriately investigated and we will work hard to bring offenders to justice.”

Domestic abuse comes in many forms and does not have to be physical violence, it can include psychological abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, emotional abuse and/or coercive and controlling behaviour.

Any reports made to police will be taken seriously and will be duly investigated by specialist officers.

To find out more about domestic abuse and accessing support services visit: www.cumbria.police.uk/domesticabuse.