Hospitals treat more attack victims

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The number of assaults resulting in hospital treatment went up nearly 7% last year, according to Accident and Emergency data.

The number of women going to hospital after being attacked went up by nearly 10%, the study showed.

The findings are likely to raise concerns about a rise in violent crime ahead of the publication of quarterly crime figures.

Academics from Cardiff University collected data from 49 A&E departments in England and Wales - around a third of the total. They found the total number of patients saying their injuries were not accidental was up by 6.6% - the first annual increase since 2001.

If the pattern was repeated across the country, 21,000 more people in 2008 would have sought medical help after being assaulted - taking the total to more than 350,000.

Researchers also found an increase of nearly a quarter in violence affecting middle-aged people.

Men and women aged between 31 and 50 attending A&E went up by 24%, the Violence and Society Research Group discovered.

The group's director, Professor Jonathan Shepherd, said: "The big problem is alcohol-related violence in towns and city centres. It's not so much that you drink and become violent that they drink and become vulnerable. For both women and men one the the best ways to reduce the risk of being injured is monitoring how much you drink."

A Home Office spokesman said: "Alcohol-related violent crime has fallen by a third in the last 12 years. We are committed to tackling those irresponsible practices and promotions which encourage binge drinking and lead to crime and disorder. We have launched the £10 million Know Your Limits campaign to challenge drunkenness and have recently spent £4.5 million to clamp down on those who break the law."