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Women are responsible for a quarter of all violent assaults in England and Wales, new figures reveal.
A Home Office report showed that 24 per cent of violent incidents last year involved a female attacker or a gang in which women or girls took part.
Separate figures from police records show the number of women arrested over violence has risen from 37,000 in 1998 to 88,000 last year — a rise of more than 200 per cent and equal to 240 arrests a day.
Police believe binge-drinking and the so-called “ladette” culture are to blame for women challenging their male counterparts.
Simon Reed, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Where once women had a calming effect on rowdy men, we increasingly see them involved in the violence.”
Reader views (3)
Lies, damn lies, and statistics.
What the actual report states is that a quarter of all people ARRESTED in violent incidents are female. That does not reflect whether they are then charged and prosecuted and found guilty. I'm sure the number of women found guilty of violent crime is far lower than one quarter. Further more, the statistic still doesn't mean that a quarter of violent crime is committed by women. The vast majority of physical and sexual violence and other forms of violent crime are perpetrated by men. That majority are 'hidden' crimes, nobody is arrested, nobody is prosecuted, and nobody is found guilty. Two women a week are killed by a male partner, 1.6 children a week are killed at home. The conviction rate for reported rapes is falling every year and is below 5%. The report rate for rape is estimated to be a maximum of 10%.
This report is meaningless prejudice.
- Real, London, 26/05/2009 21:01
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Almost all of the fights I see out and about at night are women fighting. What I also see are police ignoring this behaviour while arresting men for trifling incidents in a macho type gang response and letting "the little ladies" off. Until male police start arresting women for being violent it can only get worse. I have never been hit by a man but plenty of women have hit me and it is amazing the number of women who will say there is NEVER an excuse for hitting a woman who will then go on to say their is ALWAYS an excuse for hitting a man. But women can't hurt you they say, I don't know what sort of women these people know but if someone four or five stone lighter than you punches you believe you me it still hurts.
- John, Aberdeen, UK, 26/05/2009 17:57
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Given some of the areas I've been to and some of the things I've seen, I'm surprised the figure is so low.
Also, if there were any way in which to accurately factor in incitement into the equation, goading and encouraging men to fight each-other, I think you could probably more than double that figure.
- John, London, 26/05/2009 15:35
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