Nearly £1m funding secured to prevent Domestic Abuse

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside in partnership with Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are delighted to announce a recent success in securing £988,259 of funding from the Home Office for an innovative project to work with individuals who commit Domestic Abuse.

The project will aim to change the behaviour of people who commit abuse and the risks posed by them. New interventions will be developed to increase our understanding of how to prevent future reoffending.

In order to help achieve this, the funding will specifically deliver:

•   A new specialist workforce, supported by the development of training

•   Co-located teams across drug, alcohol and Domestic Abuse perpetrator services in Hull and the East Riding

•   A 24-week intervention programme of behaviour change

•   Enhanced support for victims which will run concurrent with the programme

•   A development of referral pathways and additional support

The funding is initially committed for 2 years.

PCC Jonathan Evison said “We are delighted to announce this funding. It will go a long way to reducing and preventing abuse, ensuring people feel safe in their homes and communities whilst protecting vulnerable people. This will include tackling Violence Against Women and Girls and the harm caused by drugs and substance misuse, which is a top priority for us. These crimes have lasting and severe impacts on the physical and mental health of those affected”.

Shelley Goodinson, Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding Partnerships Manager at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “We know that substance use is a significant risk factor for domestic abuse, but unfortunately, many perpetrator interventions do not adequately address this issue.

“This new approach will bring together experts from the domestic abuse and substance use sectors to collaborate on an intervention that addresses both issues.

“By working together, we hope to create better outcomes for survivors and their families, and also prevent future instances of domestic abuse.”

Councillor David McCobb, portfolio holder for Hull City Council said "No one should be subjected to domestic abuse, and that’s why preventing it is a top priority for making our city a safer place for everyone who lives here.

“This funding will help tackle this crucial issue by providing much-needed extra capacity in treatment services and within specialist perpetrator programmes to tackle some of the root causes of abuse.”