Mainstreaming gender into the measurement of violence, in order to assist the development of the theory of change needed to support actions to end violence, is the aim of this paper. It addresses the division between gender-neutral and women-only strategies of data collection that is failing to deliver the quality evidence needed to address the extent and distribution of violence. It develops a better operationalisation of the concepts of gender and violence for purposes of statistical analysis. It produces a check list of criteria to assess the quality of statistics on gendered violence. It assesses the strengths and weakness of surveys linked to two contrasting theoretical perspectives: the Fundamental Rights Agency Survey of Violence against Women; and the Crime Survey for England and Wales. It shows how FRA fails. It shows how the ONS has limited the potential of the CSEW. It offers a solution in: a short questionnaire that is fit for purpose; and ways of analysing data that escape the current polarisation.