Domestic abuse victims say service is improving

Police and crime commissioner David Keane has praised the response of Cheshire Police following a year of increased reports of domestic violence.

In the twelve months ending December 2020, reports of domestic violence with injury made to Cheshire Police went up by almost 5 per cent compared to the same period the year before.

Furthermore, domestic abuse support services are seeing an even sharper rise in the number of victims they’re supporting.

Cheshire-wide domestic abuse campaign Open the Door revealed the number of people accessing support has increased by 200 per cent since the start of the pandemic and charity My CWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) has seen cases they’re dealing with double from 200 pre-Covid to 400 last month (February).

However, PCC David Keane has praised Cheshire Constabulary after victim satisfaction also rose by five per cent to more than 87 per cent overall, and call audit volunteers for 999 and 101 have given praise to the way domestic abuse calls have been handled.

In a year of national lockdowns and tiered restrictions, David has made tackling domestic abuse one of his main priorities, alongside the chief constable.

Speaking about the importance of this at his recent public Scrutiny Board meeting, David said: "It is a tragic reality that the number of domestic abuse cases is on the rise, certainly since the onset of the pandemic when we are being told to stay at home as much as possible.

“There are many people in our communities who are suffering at the hands of this appalling crime. The good news is that the response of Cheshire Constabulary and partners in the face of this surge has been commendable - and I will continue to work with the chief constable to make sure we are doing all we can to give victims of domestic abuse the support they need."

The constabulary’s objective is to deliver Domestic Abuse (DA) Matters training to all front line staff. By January 2021, almost 1300 frontline officers had completed the DA Matters training, representing more than 75 per cent of frontline staff, with similar numbers also having completed the ‘abusive relationship’ and ‘family disturbance’ training.

It has also established a monthly ‘Vulnerability Board’ and a weekly Domestic Abuse Performance Meeting chaired by the detective chief superintendent of public protection who is also the constabulary lead for domestic abuse.

Chief constable Darren Martland added: “Tackling domestic abuse is a priority for Cheshire Constabulary. We are committed to officer training to ensure the best possible outcomes for anyone suffering from this appalling crime. The role of the police in cases of domestic abuse is crucial, so it is important they are able to respond appropriately and with understanding. 

“It is also vital that victims of domestic abuse know how and where to access support which is why we are doing everything we can to make sure that there are a number of channels of communication available to those who need it.  Our message is simple – you are not alone – and we, along with our partners, are working tirelessly to bring domestic abuse out into the open to enable early intervention.”

And this week, new amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill will be presented to Parliament, including - the introduction of a new offence of non-fatal strangulation to legislation, the controlling or coercive behaviour offence to be extended to include abuse where perpetrators and victims no longer live together, and the ‘revenge porn’ offence widened to cover threats to share intimate images.

In order to offer a joined up approach, at the start of the pandemic the Commissioner established a Domestic Abuse Partnership Board with all four local authority areas in Cheshire, police and support services. They are working together to:

●       Use the Open the Door Cheshire website https://www.openthedoorcheshire.org.uk/  Officers and staff will signpost victims and families to the website where both local and national support is available. Since March 2020, usage of the site has increased significantly, up by more than 200 per cent.

●       Contact information for Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) services have been shared across Local Policing Units. IDVA’s will support the police at the scene of or after a domestic abuse incident to provide guidance

●       The chief constable chairs a quarterly Domestic Abuse Board that involves partners across the force footprint to ensure a joined up strategic partnership focus

●       The constabulary and the commissioner have continued with partners and the Pan-Cheshire Public Sector Transformational Team to ensure a joint approach to women's centres and female offending

●       A We Care ‘Victims Board’, chaired by the chief superintendent of local policing, reviews incidents, initial calls and resulting investigations and outcomes

Depending on where they live, anyone who needs help or advice can also contact their local domestic abuse support service on the relevant details below:

Cheshire East Domestic Abuse Hub - 0300 123 5101

Cheshire West and Chester: 0300 123 7047, option 2

Halton Domestic Abuse Forum: 0300 111 1247

Warrington Refuge - 01925 243359

They can also call Cheshire Police on 101 or the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. In an emergency, where there is a threat to life or a crime is taking place, call 999.

There’s also advice and support available on https://www.openthedoorcheshire.org.uk/

Pictured - PCC David Keane and CC Darren Martland in a scrutiny board meeting. Image taken pre-Covid-19.