Developing a Domestic Violence Strategy

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Developing a Domestic Violence Strategy

• Roy Tomlinson Policy Officer
• Rachel Martin DV Prevention Co-ordinator
• Devon

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About Devon

• Rural county covering 2534 square miles (656,385
  hectares)
• Population density outside Exeter 0.88 per
  hectare
• 73 miles North to South, 73 miles East to West
• The third largest county in the country after N
  Yorkshire Cumbria
• More miles of road than any county in the country
  (8000 miles of road)
• 12th most populated county in the country

• City of Exeter and seven largely rural districts
• Largest settlements outside Exeter (111,264) are
  Exmouth (31,900), Newton Abbot (23,500)
  Barnstaple (20,600)
• 705,600 people
• 160,600 0 - 19 year olds
• 1.13 non-white (7,961)
• Educating 93,000 pupils in 373 schools

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Population density
North Devon
Torridge
Mid Devon
East Devon
Exeter
West Devon
Teignbridge
Plymouth
South Hams
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Domestic Violence Statistics

• Trends
• increase in reporting of incidents by both women
  and men
• slight incremental increase in number of
  incidents where children are present
• increase in repeat victimisation

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Statistics incidents reported to the police
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Statistics variation across Devon districts
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Statistics incidents where children present
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Statistics repeat victimisation
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Statistics gender variation
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Steps taken to develop a strategy

• Establishment of partnership network in early
  1998
• Failed HO bids in 1999
• Mapping Exercise 2001
• PSA target in 2001
• Strategic backing from DCC in 2001
• Devon Strategic Partnership impetus 2001

• Domestic Violence Conference November 2001
• Co-ordinator March 2002
• Consultation with survivors 2002
• DV Strategy written launched at Conference Nov
  2002
• Business Plan March 2003

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Public Service Agreement - PSA

• Required community safety target
• Government targets limited value
• Domestic Violence seen as underlying big issue
• Negotiations with Home Office
• Increase reported incidents by 10 from 5743 to
  6317 by March 2005
• Reduce repeat victimisation by 15 from 1708 to
  1452 by March 2005

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Devons Domestic Violence Strategy

• Aims
• To increase reporting
• Reduce repeat victimisation

• How to achieve these
• Outreach for women
• Outreach for men
• Training
• Awareness Raising (level 1)
• Accreditation (level 2)
• Improve interagency working in criminal justice
  agencies
• Preventative work with children and young people
• Information Sharing

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Services

• Established
• Outreach for women
• Outreach helpline for men MALE 0845 064 6800
• Criminal Justice pilot in Exeter
• Training - level 1 2
• District Awareness-Raising Events
• Drama / video pilot in Exeter

• Developing
• Education pilot
• Mental Health pilot
• BME outreach
• Prison perpetrator programme
• Voluntary perpetrator programme

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Structure
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Refuge and Outreach before the Strategy
1
1
2
2
1 - Refuge 2 - Outreach
2
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Refuge and Outreach after the Strategy
1, 2
2
2
1, 2
1, 2
2
2
1 - Refuge 2 - Outreach
2
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Criminal Justice Agencies pilot in Exeter

• Aim
• Introduce a systematic approach to deal with
  perpetrators with the Police taking on a
  graduated enforcement role

• How to achieve this
• Consultation with survivors
• Consultation with agencies
• Establish benchmark statistics to review against
• Centrex Modules 1 3 for 170 police agencies
• Launch 1st July 2003
• Review (monitor and evaluate) to determine roll
  out beyond one district

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Training pilot

• Increase the number of trained professionals and
  volunteers

• Identified good practice
• Modified Gloucestershire programme
• Identified and trained a multi-agency team of 10
• Ran 15 one-day training days in 8 districts to
  200 delegates
• Evaluate pilot
• Roll out Sept 2003, 1000 delegates a year
• Develop Level 2 accreditation

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Preventive work with children/young people

• Aim
• Explore the effective ways of delivering services
  to children living with domestic violence

• How to achieve these
• Childrens Fund - consultation participation
  service development
• Work in schools
• Drama pilot developing video
• Westminster model
• Missdorothy.com
• North Devon model
• Mental health project
• Form 61

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Issues

• Convert sign up into pay up
• Synchronization of funding and service delivery
• Sustainability
• Power and influence of Criminal Justice Board
• Role of central government

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Key elements in developing a strategy

• Strategic leadership
• County Councillor involvement
• Funding
• Co-ordinator
• Partnership to represent all agencies, community
  safety partnerships, districts
• Clear partnership structure terms of reference
• Consultation with survivors and agencies

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• www.devon.gov.uk/domesticviolence