A new research report by national charity CAADA has found that ‘high risk' domestic abuse services are saving lives and a significant amount of public money, despite being seriously under-resourced.
The research, which was based on the UK's largest dataset of domestic abuse cases, found that existing cash-strapped services for victims save at least £2.90 for every £1 spent.
In a series of recommendations aimed at local commissioners, the report advises that more lives and public money could be saved if specialist services were mainstreamed over the long term. The charity also recommends that early identification of victims could be achieved if services were co-located in hospitals, and support for child and teenage victims was improved.
The report found that after receiving support from Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) and other high risk services, 63% of victims reported a total cessation of abuse, with professionals reporting a reduction in risk levels for 74% of cases. Around 69% of victims also reported that the quality of their life had improved.