FOI reference: FOI-2025-3008
You asked
We noted your new combined measure of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking.
Question 1
In the methodology section you state:
"Through consultation with topic experts and key internal and external stakeholders, we explored and assessed numerous options."
Please can you confirm the names of the experts and external stakeholders you consulted with in the development of this methodology?
Question 2
You also state: "As the sexual assault and stalking questions were asked of the same people, we know how many people were victims of both sexual assault and stalking (SA and ST)."
Please can you provide this information, with a gendered breakdown.
Question 3
You also state:
"From April 2023 (for the survey years ending March 2024 and March 2025), half of survey respondents (split-sample 1) were asked the existing set of domestic abuse questions (DA), alongside questions on sexual assault (SA) and stalking (ST). Questions on sexual assault and stalking captured information on both domestic crimes (perpetrated by a partner, ex-partner or family member) and non-domestic crimes (perpetrated by someone other than a partner, ex-partner or family member)."
"The other half of survey respondents (split-sample 2) were asked the new set of questions on domestic abuse (DA2). Because of limited survey space, respondents who were asked the new set of questions on domestic abuse were not also asked questions on non-domestic sexual assault and non-domestic stalking. Questions on domestic sexual assault and domestic stalking were asked as part of the new domestic abuse questions."
Can you provide the headline data from the split-sample 1 with DA questions compared with split sample 2 with DA2 questions, providing data on the volume, and proportion of men who reported being a victim of DA in split sample 1 compared to split sample 2.
We said
Thank you for your request.
In response to question 1 regarding those consulted with during the development of the method, we initially held a workshop with internal methodologists and data scientists, researchers from Home Office and our survey contractor (Verian). The workshop focussed on how the Crime Survey for England and Wales could be best used to provide insight on violence against women and girls given the current limitations of how the relevant crime types were collected on the survey.
The specific method chosen to derive the combined measure of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking was developed through engagement with internal crime survey experts. The final method, and accompanying article, were peer reviewed by several internal staff members including a deputy director from the Methodology and Quality Directorate.
In response to question 2, data available from the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2024 show that an estimated 0.4% of people aged 16 years and over were victims of sexual assault and stalking in the last year in England and Wales. Broken down by sex, an estimated 0.7% of women and 0.2% of men aged 16 years and over were victims of sexual assault and stalking in the last year.
Regarding question 3, data on domestic abuse broken down by sex, from both split-sample 1 and 2 are published on our website. For split-sample 1, data on prevalence and victim numbers are available for the year ending March 2024 in Tables 1a and 2 of our Domestic abuse prevalence and victim characteristics tables. For split-sample 2, data on prevalence for the years ending March 2024 and March 2025 are available in Table A9b of our Crime in England and Wales: Annual supplementary tables. Data on victim numbers for the year ending March 2024 are available in Table 2 of our Redevelopment of domestic abuse statistics data tables. Data on victim numbers for the year ending March 2025 will be published as part of our annual domestic abuse release in November.
If you have any further crime-related queries, please email crimestatistics@ons.gov.uk and we will endeavour to help.