There has been an enormous amount of work done to improve the safety of those who are at risk of domestic violence in our community. Yet recent data for England, Wales and Scotland show that it remains a substantial problem.Domestic violence can be sexual, emotional, financial or physical (using minor or severe force). 'Honour' violence, a crime or incident committed (or possibly committed) to protect or defend the perceived 'honour' of a family or community, and forced marriage, are also examples of domestic violence (Department of Health (DH), 2011). Both men and women can perpetrate and experience domestic violeffce and abuse, but it is more often inflicted on women by men, with women experiencing more severe forms of violence.Domestic violence and abuse are more common than might be expected, often taking place behind closed doors. In England and Wales, there are approximately 1.2 million women and 784000 men aged 16 to 59 who experienced domestic abuse in 2010/11 (Osborne et al, 2012). In Scotland, in 2011/12, the police recorded 59847 incidents of domestic abuse (Scottish Government, 2012).
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