Britain is witnessing a rise in violent threats and physical attacks against young women and girls aged 16–25, including an increase in strangulation and suffocation cases, according to leading domestic abuse charity Refuge.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, 525 young women supported long-term by Refuge reported experiencing physical violence. Around half of them said they were subjected to strangulation or suffocation – a 9% rise compared to the previous year, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Psychological abuse is also on the rise. Nearly half of the 615 young women reporting such abuse said their abusers threatened to harm them, while 35% reported receiving death threats – a 4% increase.
“Domestic abuse often goes unnoticed, yet these figures reveal the harrowing reality: many young lives are being devastated by this horrific crime,” said Refuge CEO Gemma Sherrington. She called for greater education on recognising early warning signs of abuse and stronger societal action.
The charity highlighted that many victims face coercive control – a pattern of behaviour designed to isolate, manipulate, and intimidate – which can start subtly and escalate over time. Such cases are often overlooked by authorities.
Britain is now reviewing a police risk assessment tool after criticism that it downplays patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour. Refuge is urging the government to embed domestic abuse education in schools and ensure its upcoming strategy on violence against women and girls strengthens protections for young people.
