FUNDAMENTAL FACTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH 2016

2.2.6 Domestic violence
• In a study conducted in England and
However, women who experience
• In a 2009 UK study, lifetime prevalence
physical violence from a partner
of domestic violence among women
(without having suffered other abuse in
with mental health problems was found
their lives) are much more vulnerable to
to range between 30% and 60%. 317 anxiety and depression if they are also
Wales in 2015, women with experience
• Levels of domestic violence account for
between 15% and 25% of all recorded
of domestic violence had high rates of
depression, anxiety and PTSD. 318
violent crimes. 309 From 2013 to 2014,
• The increasing severity of domestic
it is estimated that 1.4 million women
violence is related to poorer mental
in England and Wales were victims of
health. 319
domestic abuse in the last year. 310
•
• Domestic violence is associated
Over 59,000 incidents of domestic
with depression, anxiety, PTSD and
violence were reported in Scotland in
substance abuse in the general
2013–14. 311
population. 320
• 13,000 domestic abuse crimes in
• Exposure to domestic violence has
Northern Ireland were recorded in
a significant impact on children’s
2014–15. 312
mental health, with poorer educational
• In the UK, a total of 7.1% of women
and 4.4% of men reported having
experienced any type of domestic
outcomes and higher levels of mental
health problems being found across the
literature. 321
abuse in 2012–13; however, these
• A 2016 report found that violence and
figures only account for official reports
abuse are associated with poverty:
of violence. 313 This is equivalent to an
people who are in poverty are more
estimated 1.2 million female victims of
likely to have suffered violence and
domestic abuse and 700,000 male
abuse than those who are not. This
victims. 314 Therefore, an average of 5.7%
is true for both women and men.
of adults aged 16–59 in the UK have
Among women in poverty, 38% have
experienced intimate-partner violence
experienced violence and abuse
in the last year.
compared with 27% of women not in
• Domestic violence has an estimated poverty. 322
overall cost to mental healthcare of
£176 million. 315
• The same report found that mental
illness is more strongly linked with
• The relationship between domestic
violence and mental health is
bidirectional, with research suggesting
that women experiencing abuse are at a
greater risk of mental health conditions
and that having a mental health
condition makes one more vulnerable to
abuse. 316
violence and abuse than it is with
poverty. Over half of women who are
both in poverty and have experience
of extensive violence and abuse meet
the diagnostic threshold for a common
mental disorder. This rate is three times
higher than for women in poverty who
have little or no experience of violence.
dealing with poverty than if they are
not. 323
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