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One in four women and one in six men will be affected by
domestic violence in their lifetimes, with women suffering higher
rates of repeat victimisation and serious injury. The total cost to
society is an estimated �23billion a year in England and Wales. All
the responsible authorities that sit on Partnerships will all have a
part to play in supporting victims or bringing perpetrators to
justice. This guidance is designed to help them develop their own
strategies to tackle, monitor and evaluate domestic violence in
their area following local audits earlier this year.
Title: Developing Domestic Violence Strategies - A Guide
for Partnerships
Author: Home Office Violent Crime Unit
Number of pages: 41
Date published: December 2004
Availability: Download full
report 
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Summary
The guidance looks at the wide range of partners who should be
involved in both the development and delivery of strategies. This
obviously includes those from the statutory and voluntary sectors,
which already deliver a wide range of services to victims.
Organisations will include Primary Care Trusts/Health Boards,
Criminal Justice Boards, Safeguarding Children Boards and voluntary
organisations. Partnerships should also, however, look creatively at
how the private sector can contribute, particularly around awareness
raising, as part of their work in the community.
Bringing together these organisations and partnerships, domestic
violence can be tackled more effectively. Having a number of
organisations involved could make funding easier to obtain, too. The
guidance also provides pointers to agreeing a common definition of
domestic violence, essential to collecting data for evidence-based
development, and appropriate information sharing.
The guidance gives many examples of good practice, grouped under
three broad headings around which Government has developed its own
strategic framework:
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Prevention and Early Intervention looks at changing
attitudes, particularly those of young people, and looks at
ensuring victims receive the information they need to improve
their safety. This might be through agencies such as health
services, which see the injuries resulting from domestic
violence, or through public awareness raising. It is here that
businesses, sports clubs and trades (like locksmiths) can make
the biggest impact both as employers and when dealing with their
customers. It also looks at programmes for perpetrators, both
convicted and non-convicted and where to go for further
information.
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Protection and Justice focuses on the role of criminal
justice agencies such as the police and courts, and at how
partnerships and local Criminal Justice Boards, can work more
closely.
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Support for Victims sets out how local agencies,
partnerships and organisations may already be supporting victims
and their children. It offers ideas for increasing and improving
service provision, most notably perhaps through the development
of advocacy services. It also flags up where links should be
made to work around sexual assault and alcohol and drug
treatment, which both have close ties to domestic violence.
Finally, the guidance looks at the foundations of any successful
strategy, with specific reference to domestic violence. It suggests
how partners might be co-ordinated, looks at potential sources of
funding, and considers issues around the setting of domestic
violence aims and indicators. It covers the question of collecting
data on domestic violence, something, which can be challenging given
the still hidden nature of the crime.
The Appendices give a checklist to help Partnerships develop
successful strategies to tackle domestic violence and suggestions
for further support and guidance.
Getting a copy
Download Developing Domestic
Violence Strategies - A Guide for Partnerships
Word 218Kb
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