Domestic abuse peaks over Christmas: This is what you can do to help

A local domestic abuse charity is expecting to see its usual surge of referrals over the new year, after the predicted increase of abuse cases at Christmas.

Claire Marshall, the CEO of FearFree, a charity that works across the south west of England, has said that abuse is heightened at this time of year.

She said: “Whilst many people are looking forward to having some time off work and spending some time with their family, which is how it should be, if you are dealing with abuse at home it’s the opposite, because you are going to be in a confined space with your abuser for a couple of weeks, which is very frightening.”

She explained that the stress of Christmas and increased financial pressure tend to heighten the tension in abusive households, with alcohol often being another contributing factor.

She added: “If you have an abuser inflamed by alcohol, then that can escalate things much quicker, and it can be much more intense and much more serious.”

The CEO also indicated that the number of FearFree referrals hasn’t settled since rocketing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said: “The referrals have really maintained that level.

"For instance, in Wiltshire, we get anything from 60 to 100 referrals a week, that’s double our pre-pandemic levels.”

According to her, the charity also receives crisis calls from existing clients over the festive period, with some situations escalating to an emergency over Christmas.

Councillor Ian Blair Pilling, cabinet member for Public Health at Wiltshire Council, said: “If you have experienced domestic abuse or are worried, we have a dedicated support service, FearFree that will be able help you.

“We work collaboratively with our partners to provide victims and their families who have been impacted by domestic abuse with a range of options to remain safe at home or access suitable alternative safe accommodation and support.

“No one should live in fear and there is information on our website about what domestic abuse looks like, the danger signs, and where you can get help at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/1033/Domestic-abuse-awareness-and-information”.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: "Domestic abuse can take many forms including violence, coercive control and harassment and stalking.

"We know that many victims of domestic abuse continue to suffer in silence, and that the reports Wiltshire Police receive only represent a small part of the real picture. 

We all need to be more vigilant, step up and support those trapped, be that personally or professionally - and we mustn't shy away from asking the difficult questions.

"It's also important to stress that victims of domestic abuse are able to access specialist support, without having to report to the police, and if you're worried about a colleague, friend or loved one you are able to seek advice on their behalf. 

"Supporting victims of domestic abuse in the time when they are most vulnerable and need help is a clear priority within my police and crime plan.

We know we cannot eradicate crime completely so we must ensure the services we are funding are delivering for victims when they need it most." 

Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Vinton said: “Over the last 12 months we have seen a slight decrease in the number of domestic abuse crimes reported to us, but they are still higher than the number we saw before pre-covid.