Credit crunch could cause rise in domestic abuse

Financial anxiety caused by the credit crunch is expected to have a big impact on levels of domestic abuse over the coming months.

A domestic abuse worker in Tunbridge Wells fears more families will be affected by the crime, which largely goes unreported.

Financial stress is just one of the causes of abuse but it is feared that the money problems many people will face as a result of the credit crunch could lead to more abusive behaviour.

Other causes of abuse include: learning behaviour from their parents, not seeing it as wrong, a way of exerting power and control over a partner and substance misuse including drugs and alcohol.

Ailsa Paton is domestic abuse services co-ordinator for Tunbridge Wells. She works with organisations in the towns Community Safety Partnership. She is based at the offices of Town & Country Housing Group which is a member of the CSP.

Ailsa said: "There are about 70 cases reported to Tunbridge Wells police every month. This is thought to be the tip of the iceberg with the true level of abuse at least four times higher. Most women dont report domestic abuse; either because they think they wont be taken seriously or because of fear of repercussions from their abuser.

"But domestic abuse knows no boundaries. It can affect anyone from any walk of life and is as much an issue for Tunbridge Wells as it is for anywhere else, but because it is perceived as being an affluent area it doesnt attract the same funding as other areas.

"I suspect the credit crunch and the financial difficulties many people will face over the coming months will impact severely on households."

One in six men are abused by their female partner at some point in their life. Men tend to be reluctant to report domestic violence. Ailsa is now researching this problem in greater detail and in order to create services to tackle this problem in Tunbridge Wells.