The EU estimates that at some point in their lives, 1 in 5 European women will experience abuse by a male partner, while 25% of all reported crime involves assaults by a man on his wife or partner (EU, 2007). It is the major cause of death and disability for women aged between 16 and 44, accounting for more death and illness than cancer and road traffic accidents (Council of Europe, 2002). Partner violence accounts for a high proportion of homicides of women internationally. Between 40% and 70% of female murder victims were killed by their partners or former partners. The comparably figure for men is 4–8% (Kruger al. , 2002). The 2001 British Crime Survey found that 45% of women and 26% of men aged 16–59 reported having experienced domestic violence (abuse, threats or force), sexual victimisation or stalking at least once in their lifetimes, and those who suffer multiple attacks are more like to be women (Walby and Allen, 2004: vi,11). The findings of the Domestic Violence Matters Evaluation Study strongly confirm the gendered nature of domestic and intimate partner abuse. Of the 1,236 individuals with whom the civilian support workers worked within the context of the British police system, 99% of the service users were female and 99% of the perpetrators were male (Kelly et al. , 1999). According to Women’s Aid in England, their National Freephone Domestic Violence helpline received over a quarter of a million calls during its first 12 months. Domestic violence accounts for between 16% and 25% of all recorded violent crime (Home Office, 2004). In any one year, there are 13 million separate incidents of physical violence or threats of violence against women from partners or former partners. In the UK 54% of rapes are committed by a woman’s current or former partner (Walby and Allen, 2004), and two women per week are killed by a male partner or former partner (Povey, 2004).