JULY 2015 DOMESTIC ABUSE CHANGE PROGRAMME BULLETIN
Welcome from Laura McGillivray – chair of the County Community Safety Partnership and Chief Executive Officer of Norwich City Council
Hello and thank you for your interest in domestic abuse, an issue that blights the lives of thousands of people in Norfolk everyday. We have embarked on a change programme for domestic abuse, and we think you could play an important part in its success. This will mean improved services which make a real difference to families and individuals affected by the abuse.
Domestic abuse is a key priority for the County Community Safety Partnership. These bulletins will highlight the impact of domestic abuse, how we are raising awareness, and new ways of working to improve people’s lives. We still have lessons to learn from domestic homicide reviews, and serious case reviews with the added complication of managing demand for dwindling resources.
We want to encourage organisations to recognise that we can offer real choice and control to victims early, rather than limiting ourselves to interventions for those identified as at high risk of serious harm alone. Managers can sign their staff up to become champions, and get involved in raising awareness through Norfolk Says No week in November. Staff can think about their organisation’s policies and how they engage with communities.
There is still a long way to go but we are making real progress. Together we can challenge the stigma that still surrounds domestic abuse, supporting victims to make informed choices, and enabling their families, any children and their communities to thrive.
What is the Domestic Abuse Change Programme?This is a multi-agency initiative led by the County Community Safety Partnership. It aims to promote early help and disclosure – seeking solutions early to reduce escalation of risk.
Domestic Abuse Champions
Are frontline professionals, who are confident and competent at encouraging early disclosure and responding appropriately, providing a network across the county with a motivation to address domestic abuse together.
The role of the domestic abuse champion
Recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse.
Realise the impact it has on the individual, family and wider society.
React by taking positive action to reduce harm, increase safety and listen to the voice of the victim.
To find out more follow this link
Domestic abuse change programme
Or contact
Dawn Jessett
Nadia Jones
Communications and campaigns
Almost 600 people completed our market research survey undertaken by Insight Track – The research was conducted via online surveys and telephone interviews during May. We wanted to know what professionals, service users and members of the public understand about Domestic Abuse (DA), what messages have worked in the past and how we can target future campaigns:
4 in 5 general public participants know of, or suspect that, a friend or colleague is suffering or has suffered DA
Two thirdsof professionals and a thirdof the general public are familiar with the Norfolk Says No campaign
34 percent of the public would use the internet as their first port of call for information on DA and support services
Almost 20 percent of participating professionals had received no training on domestic abuse
People preferred ‘softer’ language, to help reduce stigma and promote successful discussion of DA
Meet Your Domestic Abuse Change CoordinatorsZoe Harding (W Norfolk & Breckland) 07920830824
Paula DeVaux (Norwich & S Norfolk) 07788438582
Kate Biles (Yarmouth, N Norfolk & Broadland) 07881511957
EmailNEW WEBSITE COMING SOON
Public Health children and young people’s needs assessment
Norfolk public health services reviewed the needs of children and young people around domestic abuse published in January 2015. An evidence led approach which provides us with a rich snapshot of issues affecting young people in Norfolk.
The assessment indicated that there were alarming perceptions about abuse – What young people thought it was, as well as its
prevalence:
23 percent of young people asked say that ‘jealousy is a way to show you love someone’.
46 percent of young people say ‘people who stay in abusive relationships only have themselves to blame’.
43 percent of boys (and 24 percent of girls) thought ‘people can prevent being abused by altering how they dress or behave’.
This suggests that modelling healthy relationships and behaviours should be a priority to prevent domestic abuse.
Where DA already exists in families, serious behavioural problems are 17 times more likely for boys and ten times more likely for girls who witness the abuse of their mother.
Nearly 5 percentof children are involved in at least one police reported Domestic abuse incident a year in Norfolk
The research concluded that there is not a comprehensive and consistent approach to service provision across the county, resulting in a fragmented system of reactive rather than responsive support.