Survey finds one in 8 women were victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking last year

The New Futures Project supports women and girls who have experienced violence and abuse.

An astonishing one in eight women were victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking in the past year, according to data published today by the Office for National Statistics, (ONS).

It is the first time researchers have attempted to measure the true combined scale of the three offences and their impact on millions of women, according to a report by the BBC.

The New Futures Project provides specialist support, including counselling, to women and girls who have been victimised and has done so for more than 20 years.

Previously, our director Della Kagure Brown said: "We have known for some time there needs to be a significant change in the way men and boys are socialised and until this happens and women are respected as equals there is unlikely to be any change.

“Meanwhile organisations like ours who support women and girls who are victims of male violence are underfunded and under-resourced.

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One of the cosy and welcoming counselling rooms at the New Futures Project

Carl Martin, our direct services manager, added: "An increasing number of our referrals feature stalking and coercive and controlling behaviour as a factor.

"The majority of the women we support have not felt believed or supported when they have approached organisations, ie the police for help.

"Only this week two women have referred to living in flats with children and feeling too scared to leave the property to even attend to the basic needs of their family."

The individual breakdown of the prevalence of crime listed on the survey suggests:

• 2.9% (around 1.4 million people) experienced stalking

• 7.8% (around 3.8 million people) experienced domestic abuse

• 1.9% (around 900,000 people) experienced sexual assault

The research will inform the Government's effort to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

In response to the ONS figures, the Home Office said Labour was "delivering a step-change in the government's response", the BBC reported.

The ONS report also suggested there were 9.4 million crimes committed in England and Wales in the year to March - up 7 per cent from the previous year.

The most significant factors in the increase appeared to be a 30 per cent increase in cases of fraud and a 20 rise in shoplifting, the ONS said.

Overall, it suggested, trends in crime remained largely similar to previous years.

The New Futures Project offers a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.