Teenage girls at highest risk of domestic violence

Teenage girls are the most at risk of domestic abuse of any age group, according to the British Crime Survey.

Almost 13% of young women between the ages of 16 and 19 are likely to be victims the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed while announcing that all domestic abuse deaths will now be subject to a multi-agency review.

Director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer said: “What that tends to show is that there may be a next generation of domestic violence waiting in the wings. These statistics are shocking and demonstrate that women are still more at risk of crime at home than anywhere else.”

Starmer added that recent statistics show that nearly one million women are abused every year, two are killed every week by partners or ex-partners and more than half of all victims of serious sexual assaults have been attacked by partners or ex-partners.

He said the conviction rate for domestic violence offenses had risen from 49% in 2002 to 72% today, but that “domestic violence is still endemic in our society and we must take further steps to stop it”.

To that end, he said the CPS will be working with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to produce guidance for police officers and prosecutors across England and Wales on what evidence should be gathered and provided to the CPS in every domestic violence case.

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