Dear Jen, 

Accreditation of the domestic abuse estimates from the Crime Survey for England and Wales

We have today published our compliance review report covering the domestic abuse estimates from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). We recognise that domestic abuse is a sensitive topic that may be difficult some, and we aim to present the information in our report with care and respect.

Our review considered ONS’ work on redeveloping the domestic abuse statistics, including how it assessed whether the statistics met its evaluation criteria. On behalf of the Board of the UK Statistics Authority, I can confirm that the redeveloped domestic abuse estimates from the CSEW comply with the standards of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled as accredited official statistics. Our review also identified four recommendations for ONS to take forwards to enhance the quality and value of the statistics. The detail supporting our judgement is shown in our published report.

It is important to produce accurate and high-quality estimates that reflect the lived experiences of those affected by domestic abuse. These statistics directly inform ONS’ new combined prevalence measure of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking. This measure serves as the primary metric for assessing progress towards the UK Government’s goal of halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade.

Domestic abuse is an extremely complex topic shaped by a range of intersecting factors, such as gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality and socio-economic status. The way domestic abuse is understood is constantly evolving. We found that ONS has carried out the redevelopment in a robust way. It has collaborated closely with subject matter experts and conducted cognitive testing with individuals from diverse backgrounds to refine the new questions. ONS has also engaged with users throughout the development process.

Given the complexity of this topic, ONS should continue to develop these statistics transparently and remain open to concerns from users, especially those around coverage and limitations. Any such concerns would provide important information to ONS, and it will be essential to respond to them openly and fully. Responsiveness to users is always important in statistical production, but particularly so for sensitive societal issues like domestic abuse.

I would like to thank your team for its open and positive engagement throughout the assessment process. We look forward to continuing to work with you and your team as you implement the recommendations.

I am copying this letter to John Marais, Deputy Director, ONS Crime Statistics and Directorate Planning Division; and Meghan Elkin and Nick Stripe, joint heads of the Centre for Crime and Justice at ONS.

Yours sincerely,  

Ed Humpherson
Director General for Regulation