January 21, 2022 6.00 am This story is over 26 months old

Lincolnshire domestic violence victims ‘suffer abuse for decades’

Almost 900 kids living with abuse victims

Issues include housing, poor lifestyles, and mental health problems | Photo: Adobe Stock

Dozens of women have suffered at the hands of abusers for more than a decade.

A report into domestic violence found that some were at the mercy of partners or other people they lived with for years.

Figures from North East Lincolnshire’s Women’s Aid says 93 victims reported that the abuse had been going on for 11 to 20 years.

Twelve victims said it had lasted more than 20 years.

The report to North East Lincolnshire’s Communities Scrutiny Panel committee highlights the challenge in encouraging people to come forward sooner.

According to national research, it takes on average between two and three years before a victim seeks support.

There were 5355 incidents of domestic abuse reported to Humberside Police in 2020/21.

The number of cases has risen for the past few years as victims have increasingly felt confident to go to the police.

However, they plateaued during last year’s coronavirus lockdowns, despite experts believing the amount of violence actually went up.

Due to victims’ circumstances, not all reports of domestic violence are logged as crimes.

Humberside Police are now recording a greater proportion of incidents as crimes than ever, with 64% in 2020/21 compared to just 29% six years previously.

However, hundreds of children are still living in households where domestic abuse takes place.

The latest data states there are 877 children living with abuse victims in North East Lincolnshire.

The report sets out how the council will continue to tackle domestic abuse in the borough.

It claims there has been “significant progress” made to support victims of domestic abuse and their families, with extra government funding made available, but says it remains a challenge for North East Lincolnshire.

It will be discussed at the Communities Scrutiny Panel on January 31.