1 in 20 to experience domestic abuse in Luton this year
Domestic abuse will be suffered by an estimated 8,500 victims in Luton during 2025, or by the equivalent of one in 20 adults, a meeting heard.
Fewer than three in every four incidents are reported to Bedfordshire Police, the borough council’s health and wellbeing board was told.
The council’s last three-year strategy to tackle the issues around domestic violence ran until March 2024, and remains in operation.
Tackling domestic abuse is a priority for Luton, affecting the safety, health and long-term wellbeing of individuals and families across the community, according to a report to the board.
An estimated 7,700 Luton residents experienced domestic abuse during the past year, explained the report. “Women and girls are disproportionately affected, making this a key area for both community safety and women’s health outcomes.
“Six priority areas for the local authority’s strategic plan 2026 to 2031 have been identified. These are: education and early intervention; challenging harmful attitudes to break the cycle of abuse around harmful beliefs and cultural norms; safe housing and support, ensuring access to specialist help and secure accommodation to meet victims’ needs; supporting and disrupting perpetrators to change their beliefs, attitudes and behaviour, while working with the criminal justice system to improve outcomes for survivors; clear pathways to safety for professionals to respond quickly and effectively; and partnership working to improve available support.”
LBC’s interim director public health Nicola Ainsworth told the board: “We don’t have a current strategy around domestic abuse and how we deal with it in Luton.
“The last one ran from April 2021 to March 2024, so we’re still using it,” she said. “But we’re keen to get a new strategy up and running as soon as possible.
“We did a needs assessment, adopting a public health approach. We’ve had local data from the police, the council, adult and children’s social care, locally commissioned services, including Women’s Aid and Embrace CVOC, and the Ebonista Project behavioural change programme for perpetrators.
“There were 67 responses to a survey and we’ve spoken to survivors, which is a crucial part of the development and the strategy. The key findings show domestic abuse is vastly underreported.
“We’ve estimated 8,500 victims (locally) in 2025, which is the equivalent of one in 20 adults. Fewer than 75 per cent of incidences are reported to the police.
“There’s a strong link with deprivation, although it occurs in all areas. It’s a gender based crime. Women are the victims in just over two thirds of incidents. We strongly suspect it’s underreported among ethnic minorities.
“We want increased preventative measures to break that cycle of domestic abuse, and a compassionate and trauma-informed approach through a strategy that brings everyone together around the needs of this group.
“What are (considered) acceptable behaviours in relationships for young people is quite worrying. From the schools health education unit (SHEU) survey, many young women are thinking it’s okay to be hit and verbally abused by a partner.”
A borough council 2040 ambition is “a Luton where domestic abuse isn’t tolerated and residents can live free from fear, violence and abuse”, she added.
Labour Lewsey councillor Hazel Simmons, who chairs the board, described the figures announced as “sobering”.
A strategic action plan is due to return to the board in December, seeking LBC executive approval in January.