More than 16,000 men across West Yorkshire reported domestic abuse to police in one year alone, new data shows.

This equates to a staggering 44 reports every day, according to figures for 2022/23.

A Freedom of Information request to West Yorkshire Police by Accident Claims Advice revealed a total of 59,681 domestic abuse crimes were reported during this period.

Domestic abuse reports accounted for 20 per cent of all recorded crimes in the area.

A total of 43,691 domestic abuse reports involved female victims while the remaining 16,152 reports involved males.

The figures could be even higher as the gender of the victim is not always recorded, said Accident Claims Advice. 

West Yorkshire Police said it understands there may be “additional barriers” when it comes to male victims reporting abuse. 

But it urged males to come forward to police or reach out to specialist support agencies first.

A spokesperson for the force said: “West Yorkshire Police fully recognises the impact of domestic abuse on all victims and understands that there may be additional barriers to reporting for male victims of abuse. Our public facing awareness campaigns highlight that anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse and aim to increase confidence in reporting. The Force ensures that reports from any victim, regardless of their gender are taken seriously and thorough investigations are undertaken by dedicated officers in the district domestic abuse teams. Officers work closely with support agencies to ensure that all victims receive the best possible care and support. West Yorkshire Police encourages anyone who may be experiencing domestic abuse to report or to reach out to specialist support agencies.”

West Yorkshire Police has specially trained officers in district Safeguarding Units who can provide support and practical assistance to those who are suffering.

It can range from making your home safer to working in partnership with a wide variety of statutory and voluntary agencies.

If you need to contact the police in an emergency but aren’t able to speak to the operator, there is a way to get through to police.

When you dial 999 anywhere in the UK, your call is answered by telephone operators from BT, who will then direct your call to the most appropriate emergency service.

Each day the 999 service receives large numbers of accidental 999 calls, particularly from mobile phones.

BT's operators will attempt to confirm there is an emergency by asking the normal questions in order to receive a response. If suspicious noises are heard, the call will be put through to the police or the caller will be asked to press/dial 55 which will also route the call to the police.