The study, which was conducted in partnership with Leicestershire Police, was one of the largest randomised controlled trials (RCT) on domestic violence to date and involved a sample of 1,015 unique cases. The study evaluated an intervention, which lasted for six months, that provided victims of police-reported domestic violence with dedicated caseworkers who facilitated access to the 24 different non-police support services available in the area.
The results of the trial revealed three key findings:
Dr Martin Foureaux Koppensteiner, lead researcher and co-author of the study at the University of Surrey said:
“Our research found that while the intervention led to a significant and surprising decrease in witness statements, they also led to a reduced risk of future incidents occurring. The vast majority of victims of police-reported domestic violence are women, and it's key that existing services available to them can be accessed as easily as possible.”
Domestic violence affects over 1.8 million people in England and Wales*.
In the UK, domestic abuse non-police support services are available through a number of publicly funded and voluntary service providers. Such providers include charities like Refuge, Women’s Aid, ManKind, and Galop.
By highlighting the effectiveness of interventions aimed at enhancing victim access to support services, the study stresses the importance of a multifaceted approach to addressing the issue of domestic violence.
The study is forthcoming in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy .
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Note to editors:
Economic Policy
Observational study
People
The impact of improving access to support services for victims of domestic violence on demand for services and victim outcomes