‘Domestic violence higher among cohabiting couples’

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Domestic violence
Violence more likely among non-married couples: survey
Domestic violence
Violence more likely among non-married couples: survey

DOMESTIC violence should not make headlines when marital strife and unrest in families has become commonplace in many societies. However, violence between couples is far more likely to occur between unmarried, cohabiting couples than married couples, according to a survey.

Spanish statistics, highlighted in recent years by Europe’s Family Policy Institute (FPI), and recently reported by the Spanish newspaper ABC, indicate that while only 11% of Spanish couples cohabit without being legally

married, such unions account for 58% of the most violent crimes between couples.

For every one protection order issued for a married couple, as many as 10 are issued for cohabiting couples, it said.

Citing Spanish government statistics, FPI also reported that “for every homicide that is brought about in a marriage, 12 are produced” in non-married couples. Moreover, the increase in such homicides in recent years is largely explained by cohabitation.

Homicides have jumped 45% among cohabiting couples, while they have actually fallen 15% among married couples.

Similar results have been found in statistical surveys of the United States and Britain, according to a report.

Blogging for Spain’s El Razon newspaper, Ignacio Socias says: “All of the official statistical studies of the Department of Justice of the USA regarding family violence, show that women who are married, including those who have been separated or divorced, have less than half the possibility of suffering (domestic violence).

“In the United Kingdom, the official survey ‘The BritishCrime Survey’ indicates that married women are the ones who have the least risk of suffering domestic violence.”

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