ONS survey shows rise in domestic abuse as police warn over workload
An Office for National Statistics survey indicates a genuine rise in domestic abuse in England and Wales, while the Police Federation warns that officers are overworked and exhausted.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
An Office for National Statistics survey suggests a significant rise in domestic abuse in England and Wales, and the Police Federation has warned that police officers are being pushed beyond sustainable workloads.
The survey found that nearly 10% of people aged 16 or over had experienced domestic abuse in the year to March. That was up by just under 8% on the year before. The ONS said changes to how the survey is carried out might account for some of the rise, but it believed the increase was genuine and significant.
The same survey also recorded an 11% rise in fraud, to more than 4.5 million cases in the year to June. Incidents of computer misuse rose by almost a quarter to more than 800,000.
The Police Federation of England and Wales declared a public health emergency within policing. It cited unsustainable workloads and increased exposure to trauma. Its pay and morale survey found that:
- two-thirds of officers said fatigue had made it difficult to carry out their duties
- more than three-quarters said exhaustion had affected their family or social life
- the lowest points are generally reached between three and five years into a policing career, when fatigue and anxiety are at their worst
- two-thirds of all police resignations happen at this time
The federation said attrition rates were going through the roof and that very experienced officers had had enough. It said they were laying their pensions aside and walking out the door.
The Home Office acknowledged the challenging and traumatic situations often faced by police officers. It said it had invested an additional £2.4 million this year in psychological support and mental health services. The Police Federation wants an independent investigation into the health and wellbeing of police officers during their first five years of service.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| An ONS survey reported that nearly 10% of adults aged 16 and over in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse in the year to March, up from just under 8% the previous year. | |
| The Home Office said it had invested an additional 2.4 million pounds this year in psychological support and mental health services for police. | |
| The Police Federation declared a public health emergency in policing, citing unsustainable workloads and increased exposure to trauma. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report led on the ONS survey finding a near 10% prevalence of domestic abuse among adults aged 16 or over, and put that alongside the Police Federation's warning about workload and trauma. It included wider crime survey figures on fraud and computer misuse, then focused on police fatigue, early-career attrition and Home Office mental health funding. The tone was neutral and factual, with no challenge to the survey or federation claims.
- “Nearly 10% of people aged 16 or over have experienced domestic abuse in the year to March, according to the Office for National Statistics, up by just under 8% from the year before.”
- “The Police Federation of England and Wales has declared a public health emergency within policing due to what it says are unsustainable workloads and increased exposure to trauma.”
- “Cops, very experienced cops have had enough. They are laying their pensions aside and walking out the door.”
Broadcast Timeline
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