Government Launches Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan

Domestic Abuse Stats - 2023

The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) and Office for National Statistics show that in the last year 4.4% of people aged 16 years and over have experienced some form of domestic abuse. It also shows that 5.1% of people between the ages of 16-59 experienced domestic abuse in the last year.

The CSEW took into consideration the number of reports that were made to the police. Between March 2022 and March 2023, there were 889,441 domestic abuse offences reported. This shows hardly any movement from the previous year (2021 – 2022), which saw 889,311 recorded offences of domestic abuse.

Domestic Abuse and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

In addition, victims of domestic abuse may also be able to make a compensation claim as a result of the abuse. The Criminal Injuries Scheme is a government-funded scheme set up to compensate victims of violent crime including physical abuse, sexual abuse and sometimes emotional/psychological abuse. To make an Abuse Claim for compensation, your abuse must have been reported to the police. 

Domestic abuse can happen to males as well as females. According to the Office for National Statistics, one in three victims of domestic abuse each year are men. Despite this, the level of awareness around domestic abuse towards men remains relatively low. 

Recently in the news was the case of a man killed by his girlfriend. Paul Lavelle, 50, was attacked by his partner, Sarah Lewis, with the shard of a broken dinner plate while at home in May 2017. Following the murder, Paul Gladwell, a friend of Mr Lavelle’s told the Liverpool Echo: “We asked the question as to why he didn’t tell us what was going on.

"We found out later on that it wasn’t an isolated incident, so we started wanting to raise awareness and getting men to speak out about being abused.”

It is sadly common for survivors of any kind of abuse to keep it to themselves for the fear of repercussions. For anyone who has experienced abuse, we understand that it can be difficult to speak up. In a recent article, we discussed a new UK law that means domestic abuse survivors could get more time to report domestic abuse, where you can learn more about time limits for domestic abuse claims.

Can I Make a Claim if a Family Member Has Been Killed Because of Domestic Abuse?

If a person has died as a result of being an innocent victim of a violent crime it is possible for a qualifying relative to make a claim under the Criminal Injuries Scheme.

Who is a Qualifying Relative?

A qualifying relative is:

• a spouse or civil partner who was living with the person who has died in the same household.
• the partner of the person who has died who was living in the same household for at least two years prior to their death.
• a person who is a spouse, civil partner, or partner who was unable to live with the person who had died due to their ill health or infirmity.
• the spouse, civil partner, or former spouse who was financially dependent on the person who has died.
• a parent of the deceased.
• a child of the deceased.

What Compensation Will be Paid by the CICA?

A bereavement payment will be paid to a qualifying relative in the sum of £11,000. Where there is more than one qualifying relative each person will receive £5,500.

A child’s payment will be paid if the child/children of the person who has died was under 18 and dependent on the deceased for parental services. Payments will be calculated from the person’s date of death  untilthe child/children reach18. They will receive £2,000 per year plus any additional expenses as a direct result of a loss of parental services.

A dependency payment may also be made for a qualifying relativewho was financially or physically dependent on the person who has died. The rules relating to dependency payments can be quite complex and depending on the situation.

A funeral payment of up to £5,000 may be made for reasonably incurred expenses.

Our Domestic Abuse Solicitors can advise you on whether you can make a claim under the Criminal Injuries Compensation scheme and how much compensation you’re likely to receive.

Protecting Survivors

While you are making a claim for compensation, your information will be kept protected. The application process is completely confidential, which means that only the organisations who are directly involved in your case are aware of the details whichwill include your GP and any other medical professionals you have seen, the police, the CICA, and your legal representatives.

What Can I Claim Compensation For?

If you have experienced domestic abuse, you may be able to claim compensation if you can show evidence that a violent crime has been committed. What you can make a claim for includes:

• any physical or mental injuries you sustained.
• sexual abuse or violence.

How Our Abuse Solicitors Can Help

Specialist Abuse Solicitors can help in domestic abuse cases by offering practical support and advice. 

If you have experienced domestic abuse and would like to make a claim please contact our Specialist Abuse Solicitors today for a free consultation on how we can help.