Our aim
To reduce the harms from violence against the person including domestic abuse, sexual violence, and hate crime.
Why this is a priority
‘Violence against the person’ offences in Portsmouth have risen slightly more than the national rise. Domestic abuse incidents and wounding offences have both risen.
Less than 4% of Portsmouth Residents have experienced a violent crime.
In relation to children, one-third of all contacts with the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) involve domestic abuse and the response to children living with domestic abuse is also a priority for the Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Board.
It is estimated that domestic abuse costs Portsmouth services around £13.5 million per year. This includes costs of over £6 million to health services, over £3 million to the criminal justice system (excluding police), over £2 million to the police, over £1 million to children’s social care and £600,000 to local authority housing services.
What we know
- Violence now accounts for 47% of all crime.
- Domestic violence has been the main known driver for violent assaults since at least 2006 and accounts for 29% of assaults
- Domestic Abuse is now the second most significant driver for ‘most serious violence’
- At least 38% of all assaults took place in a family setting
- Witnessing violence is a risk factor for perpetrating and/or experiencing further abuse and for serious violence and the reason most children come into care.
- Some categories of violent crime have seen larger increases such as sexual offences and racially or religiously aggravated crime
- According to police analysis, nearly 40% of sexual offences across Hampshire are domestic related – increasing to 50% of rapes in Portsmouth
What will we prioritise in the next two years:
- Tackling violent crime: continuing to focus on sexual offences, domestic abuse, hate crime and night-time economy violence.
- Develop the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference process to
ensure that those most at risk are receiving the right response - Increase the use of processes and resources to hold perpetrators to
account - Improve links between police and schools when children experience
or witness domestic violence and abuse - Commissioners of all public services to ensure all contracts set out
clearly the expectations of providers in relation to the identification and response to domestic violence and abuse
Download our Violence statistics infographic
Do you need support?
To report a crime please call 999 in an emergency.
For support around domestic abuse, you can call our domestic abuse team, for advice and support on 023 9206 5494 9am-9pm Monday to Friday and 10am-6pm weekends and bank holidays.
For support with Rape, Sexual assault or Sexual Abuse please call PARCs
Women’s Service: 023 9266 9511
Men’s Service: 023 9366 9516
PARCS operate telephone support lines on the following days and times. Monday (1pm – 3pm), Wednesday and Friday (7pm – 9pm).
Office 023 9266 9513
