A new approach to domestic abuse

The national domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid is running a pilot programme to introduce “innovative and groundbreaking” approaches to domestic violence and abuse.

‘Change that Lasts’, which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Women and Girls Initiative, is being piloted in Northumbria, Nottinghamshire and Surrey to help women experiencing domestic abuse receive support earlier, and help them to achieve long-term recovery and independence.

Women’s Aid has reviewed current approaches to tackling domestic abuse and the systems in place, which it says are currently not working effectively. Survivors frequently report to Women’s Aid that opportunities to help them were missed.

The charity has therefore proposed a new model to provide a framework that facilitates the shortest, and/or most effective route to safety, freedom and independence for each survivor. This programme will put the survivor at the heart of it, basing the support given on their individual situation and the resources available to them; for example, support from friends, workplace, or a family network.

‘Change that Lasts’, launched in wider partnership with domestic abuse charity SafeLives, is formed of three main schemes, which will work together to get victims of domestic abuse to safety, freedom and independence quickly – ‘Ask Me’, ‘Trusted Professional’ and ‘Specialist Support Services’.

‘Ask Me’, a community-based campaign, aims to create communities in which survivors can disclose abuse early, and access support quickly.

The scheme will create safe spaces in local business and community settings where women experiencing coercive control and other forms of domestic abuse can talk to someone and get help they need quickly.

‘Ask Me’ appeals for residents who work in jobs that interact frequently with local communities to become an ‘Ask Me Ambassador’ and help spot victims of domestic abuse and signpost women for additional help to their local services.

‘Trusted Professional’, a campaign centred around support and professional services, will provide specific training to those working in a service that are likely to have contact with victims of domestic abuse – for example, a health visitor, children’s centre, drug/alcohol support, housing and family intervention. The training will help these professionals to identify the signs of domestic abuse and violence, provide support and advice including safety-planning and signpost victims accordingly.

‘Specialist Support Services’ are small highly-trained teams that will build tailor-made support programmes around individual families to supply the specific needs of that woman and her children.

All three schemes under ‘Change that Lasts’ will be rolled out later this year.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said: “Our decades of experience working with women, and our research, have confirmed that we need a better way than the current approach to domestic abuse.

“Too often our response to women who are in appalling situations is still based on an inadequate understanding of what they really need to be safe and to recover. We end up focusing on short-term measures, which do not enable families to thrive in the future.

“By listening to women we can provide help earlier and make sure that the help is effective and long-lasting, leading to true independence.

“We are thrilled that we can finally put into practice our innovative response to domestic abuse that has survivors at its heart – and will lead to long-term change.”

David Munro, police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Surrey, said the Surrey Against Domestic Abuse Partnership (SADA) – which includes Surrey Police, Surrey County Council and the Office of the PCC – will implement the ‘Change that Lasts’ scheme,

“I am very pleased and proud that Surrey has been chosen by Women’s Aid as one of three regions to pilot this collaborative and innovative project, which aims to improve radically the lives of families experiencing domestic abuse,” he added.

“My office led SADA in making the applicatio