Domestic abuse victims report violence to police several times before action

Report finds women from black and ethnic minority backgrounds in England and Wales disproportionately dismissed

Domestic abuse victims are reporting abuse to the police several times before appropriate action is taken, with those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds disproportionately dismissed and sidelined, according to new research.

The research has been carried out by the charity Victim Support - the country's biggest provider of domestic abuse services. More than 1,000 women (1,004) who have experienced domestic abuse were polled, at least 150 of them women of colour.

More than half of all respondents - 53% - reported an instance of domestic abuse at least twice before they felt appropriate action was taken by the police.

Nearly a quarter - 24% - reported an instance of domestic abuse to the police three times or more before appropriate action was taken.

More than one in 10 - 12% - said that they do not feel appropriate action was ever taken.

When reporting domestic abuse, almost half - 48% - of black and ethnic minority respondents felt that the police treated them differently from other people because of their ethnic background or heritage.