Report paints a stark picture of women’s health in Bristol’s most deprived areas

Rates of domestic violence in Hartcliffe are almost double the national average, according to a new council report.

The study paints a stark picture of issues facing women across the city, from increasing mental health concerns, to common taboos, such as incontinence, and draws clear parallels between poverty and poor health.

Produced by Bristol City Council, in partnership with Bristol Women’s Commission, the report aims to highlight prevalent issues in order to effectively address them.

It reveals rates of female suicide in the city are higher than the national average – with more than seven cases per 100,000 women, compared to five per 100,000 for the UK.

Women are more likely to self-harm than men

Of the 1,536 incidences of self-harm presenting to Bristol Royal Infirmary in 2016, 63 per cent were women.

Police data shows that rates of domestic abuse in Hartcliffe and Withywood are alarmingly high, with 42 per thousand of the population reporting incidents in 2015-16, compared to a national average of 22 per thousand.

The next highest levels were reported in Filwood, with 32 per 1,000 of the population.

It is also likely that the figures don’t paint the full picture, as 12 per cent of women surveyed in Hartcliffe and Withywood believe that domestic violence and abuse is a private matter, compared to seven per cent who think this citywide.

Bristol overall has a lower than average rate of gender-based violence, with 14 per thousand reporting incidents in the same time period, but the rate of recorded domestic abuse incidents has shown a significant rise over the last two years – and 74 per cent of victims were female.

The number of reported sexual offences rose by 28 per cent in Bristol last year, compared to 21 per cent nationally and the city has one of the highest numbers of recorded cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) in England (2015/16).

Across the city, women are more likely to suffer from obesity, and associated health issues, than men and this is exacerbated in areas with high levels of deprivation.

Asher Craig says the report provides an evidence base from which to tackle issues affecting women in Bristol

Deputy mayor Asher Craig said: “This report demonstrates that there is much we can learn about how issues around gender can affect the health of our city.

“This report is one of the first of its kind focusing on issues around women’s health within Bristol. It is an important part of recognising the issues we know are present, so that the city can address them.

“This report will form a strong evidence base for our strategy for women’s health. We are developing this alongside Bristol Women’s Commission to show how we are going to tackle some of the many complex issues that are raised by this study.

“However, this report should also be seen as a resource that other organisations across the city can use to understand the key health issues faced in their local area.”

Penny Gane, Chair of Bristol Women’s Commission said: “This year we are celebrating the centenary of some women getting the vote and women being able to stand for public office.

“One of the Suffragettes’ demands was better health care for women. One hundred years later, we are drawing attention to women’s health needs in Bristol in this illuminating report and working towards a strategy to address them. Some might say this is long overdue.”

Read more: Bristol: A tale of two cities