DOMESTIC violence rates in Kensington and Chelsea are the lowest in the capital, according to the latest police figures.
There were 619 such offences recorded in the royal borough last year, compared to the highest number of 2,531 in Croydon.
Hounslow returned the highest figures in west London, with 2,038 logged crimes.
Ealing had 1,920 while Westminster and Hammersmith and Fulham had 1,153 and 1,155 respectively.
Mary Mason, chief executive officer at London-based Solace Women’s Aid, said while K&C has one of the smallest populations in the capital, women from poorer areas are more likely to stay with abusive partners.
She said: “Kensington and Chelsea does not have areas of high deprivation relative to other London boroughs and has one of the smallest residential populations in London, so crime figures are likely to be proportionate in certain categories.
“Although violence against women and girls cuts right across cultural, age and socio-economic groups, where women have less economic independence they are often more likely to remain trapped in an abusive relationship without escaping safely and permanently.”
The conviction rate for domestic violence remains relatively low, with less than half the reported incidents across London leading to a successful arrest or prosecution.
Up to a third of women victims do not feel confident or safe enough to report the crime, explained Ms Mason, adding: “As you can imagine it is both terrifying and upsetting for women to report intimate violence and they often feel that they won’t be believed or are frightened of the consequences of reporting.”
While Hounslow had the highest number of offences in west London, Hounslow police highlighted its 87 per cent arrest rate – the highest in the Met.
Detective Inspector Mark Welsh said: “It’s hard to know if we have a high number of cases or are better at getting people to report domestic violence.
“There are ways of preventing it that are not prosecution, which is confusing and conflicting when considered in the context of official figures.
“One way to measure success is by the number of reductions in repeat offences and victimisation.”
Standing Together Against Domestic Violence, is another charity based in Hammersmith, which is working with police, the council, and health services to ensure victims can access help from across multiple agencies.
