The statistic that 2 women a week are killed by their partner or former partner in the UK is now relatively well known. However, new evidence suggests that women in the 16-19 age group are more at risk than any other age group. Just over one in ten teenagers in that group experienced domestic abuse in the past year according the the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer.
Mr Starmer believes that this increase in the number of young women being subject to domestic violence might be related to the rise in the number of children who have been known to witness violence between their parents or carers in the past. ”What that tends to show is that there may be a next generation of domestic violence waiting in the wings” said Mr Starmer.
This issue has significant implications for child protection agencies and those working within the domestic violence arena. What this evidence shows is that there is a large number of children and young people suffering domestic violence as well as witnessing it. What should the agencies do? Traditionally there has been a more sanguine attitude to 16 and 17 year olds suffering abuse from their partners but should this now be taken more seriously?
Certainly there is a case to argue that all such cases should be referred to the local authority child protection teams for investigation. Moreover, while the protection of the young woman should be paramount the perpetrator should be subject to proper specialist assessment and potentially treatment in order to militate against an escalation of the abusive behaviour in later adulthood.
Whilst the so-called next generation of domestic violent perpetrators go un-assessed and untreated, so the future generation of children are at increasing risk of witnessing the behaviour causing significant damage to their development and well being.
Mark Willis
