Domestic and sexual abuse research reports

This section features reports from work we have supported specifically around domestic and sexual abuse and related issues. Reports are shown in order of publication with most recent first.

 

Women’s views on the policing of rape, domestic violence and stalking across the North East and Cumbria, July 2012

These infographics by Dr Nicole Westmarland of Durham University, show women do not think the police take rape, domestic violence and stalking as seriously as they should do.

The study, funded by the Foundation, asked a general sample of 577 women in the North East and Cumbria about their perceptions of the police in relation to these crimes, whether they would report them or not and their reasons. Women in all four police areas of the region – Northumbria, Cleveland, Durham and Cumbria – said rape, domestic violence and stalking were extremely serious but many women were reluctant to report these crimes to the police if they happened to them.

To read the full press release click here.

 

Taking Back Control: The health, mental health and well-being benefits of accessing Rape Crisis counselling, May 2012

The Foundation commissioned the University of Durham to work with sexual violence projects across the North East and Cumbria to look at the impact of their work on individual service users.

 

Domestic violence advocacy and support in a changing climate – findings from three recent evaluations, April 2012

This article by Professor Marianne Hester of Bristol University, which first appeared in the Winter 2012 edition of the Women’s Aid Federation journal, Safe, looks at three recent impact evaluations in the domestic abuse field.

 

Measuring the impact of cuts in public expenditure on the provision of services to prevent violence against women and girls, January 2012

A report by leading academic Professor Sylvia Walby, UNESCO Chair in Gender Research, and Jude Towers at Lancaster University, raises concern about the implications of public expenditure reductions for the provision of local violence against women services.

This report, commissioned by the Northern Rock Foundation and Trust for London, examines the impact of public expenditure cuts on services to prevent violence against women and girls.

The data was drawn from around 20 published and previously unpublished sources.

A brief breakdown of the report findings can also be read here.

 

Making Connections Count: An Evaluation of Early Intervention Models for Change in Domestic Violence, 2004-2009, Sunderland University, August 2010

Over the last five years the Foundation has invested £3.5 million in a multi-agency domestic abuse Initiative. This work aimed to demonstrate the impact of a comprehensive, early intervention approach to tackling domestic abuse and focused on work in Gateshead and Cumbria. University of Sunderland undertook a longitudinal evaluation of the initiative, reports from which are published below:

 

Respect research briefing note 1: What counts as success?, August 2010

This Briefing note sets out the key findings from research into what success looks like for key stakeholders in programmes working with perpetrators of domestic violence. This research is the first stage in a larger study which is part-funded by the Foundation

 

Who Does What to Whom?, June 2009

Building on previous research using data from Northumbria Police, Professor Marianne Hester explains issues relating to gender and domestic violence perpetrators.

 

Domestic Violence Perpetrators – Identifying Needs to Inform Early Intervention, June 2006

Professor Marianne Hester et al. work with the Home Office looking at the characteristics of perpetrators of domestic abuse.

 

Forced marriage and Domestic Violence among South Asian communities in North East England, June 2006

Dr Geetanjali Gangoli looks at forced marriage in south Asian communities in the North East

 

Domestic Violence – Making it through the Criminal Justice System, August 2003

This research, undertaken by Professor Marianne Hester, examines attrition (or ‘drop out’) in domestic violence cases entering the Criminal Justice System across the Northumbria Police Force area.