Prevalence and Trends in Intimate Partner Violence in Estonia

Awareness of IPV and knowledge about available support services are higher than ever in Estonia: according to a 2024 survey by the Social Insurance Board, most people know what IPV is and where to turn for help. Based on this, one would expect the number of reported incidents to increase. However, the statistics show the opposite trend. Data from victim support services and women’s shelters indicate that the actual number of IPV victims is significantly higher than the number of cases reported to law enforcement agencies. Over the last five to six years, the number of IPV incidents reported to the police has decreased by about a third. Statistics from the prosecutor’s office indicate that the number of IPV crimes has fallen to the level of 2017. However, the number of calls to support services remains stable. Experts suggest that this contradiction indicates that the decline in reporting should not be interpreted as a decrease in violence. Rather, it points to a situation where people no longer seek help from official channels or they are no longer considered effective.

The forms of IPV have changed over time. In addition to physical violence, there has been a growing prevalence of psychological manipulation, controlling behaviour in digital environments, and financial abuse. These are more hidden forms of violence that people don’t know how to, don’t have the courage to, or don’t think it’s necessary to officially register. Changing and increasing patterns of violence over time may be one explanation for statistics showing a decline in incidents while the actual problem has not decreased.

At the same time, broader structural changes in society may influence both the occurrence of IPV and patterns of help-seeking. More and more, especially in the context of young men, there is talk of growing social insecurity, a widening gap in education and radical attitudes spreading in digital environments. However, the impact of these phenomena is not limited to young men. They shape relationships and coping more broadly and create sources of tension. Social and economic tensions may aggravate relationship conflicts or reduce motivation to seek official help.

IPV is also an issue of national resources and internal security: when domestic violence remains obscured, it often results in incidents affecting the safety of the police, emergency medical services or the community. IPV also has serious consequences for children, whose sense of security, mental health, and future prospects are directly related to whether victims get help on time.

The primary research questions of this research stream are:

• How can we explain the contradictions between high awareness, stable use of support services and decreasing reporting to police?

• How do patterns of violence change over time and what role do psychological, digital and financial abuse play in the overall picture of IPV?

• What factors will influence help-seeking patterns over the next 10–15 years?

• What is the potential full (economic) impact of IPV in a 10–15 year perspective under different development scenarios, and how might the costs and burden be distributed between different fields and parties (law enforcement, healthcare, social welfare, legal system, employers)?