New funds to stop domestic abuse crimes

Police awarded £11.3 million for programmes to prevent domestic abuse crimes.

The Home Office has awarded £11.3 million to 25 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales, to go towards domestic abuse intervention programmes.

The programmes focus on interventions encouraging behaviour change to help stop perpetrators from committing domestic abuse, with the ultimate aim of preventing further crimes from being committed.

Funding will also focus on key areas such as stalking prevention and supporting adolescent perpetrators.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said, “To prevent the abhorrent crimes of domestic abuse from happening in the first place, we must deepen our understanding of who commits them, why they do so, and how it may escalate.

“This fund builds on the considerable work already taking place to tackle domestic abuse and aims to better understand key behaviours so we can put a stop to them for good,” she added on August 11.

To secure funding, PCCs were able to bid for up to three projects in partnership with a local service provider of their choice.

The programmes use different methods to encourage behaviour change, including one-on-one and group therapy and community-based activity. Key objectives of the programmes include reduction in the frequency and gravity of abuse, reduction in the risk posed by the perpetrator and improved safety and protection for victims.

Earlier this year the Home Office passed the landmark Domestic Abuse Act, which will bolster the response to domestic abuse on every level, strengthening protections for victims whilst also ensuring perpetrators feel the full force of the law.

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