Domestic violence costs Estonian society an estimated €273 million a year, according to a new report; the authors say the true cost may be higher, as most cases are never reported.
The biggest costs arise from harm to victims’ health and damage to the economy, according to The Economic Cost of Intimate Partner Violence in Estonia, a report by the Foresight Centre, a think tank at the Estonian parliament.
Kaupo Koppel, an expert at the centre, said cases recorded by police cost society an estimated €94 million a year. The total cost is thought to be almost three times as high.
“According to various victim surveys, around 80 per cent of cases of domestic violence are not reported to the authorities, yet they still entail a real cost to society, as violence affects victims’ quality of life, health and working life. This means the costs incurred by organisations that deal directly with the consequences of domestic violence account for only a small proportion of the total cost to society,” Koppel said.
Health-care costs could reach €59 million a year
The largest component of the total cost is the physical and psychological harm suffered by victims. Its monetary value was estimated at €34 million a year for recorded cases. Since reported cases account for only about one-fifth of all domestic violence, the cost to society is estimated at €122 million a year.
Health care accounts for the next largest share. The cost of reported cases alone was €13.6 million in Estonia last year. Once unreported cases are included, the annual cost could reach €59 million. This comprises €49 million in medical costs, €5 million in sickness benefits, €3 million for medicines and about €1 million in ambulance costs.
Domestic violence also damages the labour market and the economy. The annual cost is estimated at €15 million based on recorded cases, rising to €38 million when unreported cases are included. A further €3.6 million is spent each year on organisations and services that deal directly with violence, including victim support, support centres and prevention.
Among government agencies, the Health Insurance Fund (€13.6 million) and the Social Insurance Board and its subordinate agencies (€11.8 million) bore the greatest financial burden related to domestic violence last year.
Prevention is key
The Foresight Centre says more should be done to identify violence early and prevent it from recurring.
“At present, we are spending a great deal of money on dealing with the consequences of domestic violence, but much of this harm could be prevented. If we can identify violence at an earlier stage and prevent it from recurring, we’ll spare people from suffering and reduce the costs that would otherwise be incurred in the health-care system, the social welfare system or the labour market,” Koppel said.
The report is based on a study of the same name commissioned by the Foresight Centre and carried out by the research company Civitta. It forms part of the centre’s research programme, Prevalence and Trends in Intimate Partner Violence in Estonia, which examines how patterns of violence and help-seeking are changing. The aim is to assess the long-term impact of violence and support the development of more effective interventions.
The Foresight Centre analyses socio-economic trends and develops future scenarios. Its research aims to anticipate emerging trends and potential disruptions.
