Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that the gender of the (a) perpetrator and (b) victim of incidents marked as domestic violence cases are recorded along with the nature of the domestic relationship in each case.
We are taking steps to strengthen data collection in relation to all recorded crimes where domestic violence and abuse is involved. From April 2015, the Home Office will require the police through the annual data requirement to record the gender of the victim and the nature of the domestic relationship for all violent and sexual crimes. To minimise burdens on the police, we have no plans to collect data on the gender of a perpetrator of domestic abuse.
We will be working with the police throughout 2015 to ensure that the same data can be collected in relation to recorded incidents of domestic abuse.