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Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria 14 OCTOBER 2014

Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

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Page 1: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC – Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria

14 OCTOBER 2014

Page 2: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

A North East Co-ordinated Approach

Violence against Women and Girls is a serious breach of human rights and both a continuing cause of women’s inequality with men and a historic consequence of that inequality.

Page 3: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

A North East Co-ordinated Approach

National Picture – in 2012/13 the ONS estimate that 1.2 million women suffered domestic abuse.

North East figures (Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria show that in that year 25,656 female victims of violence complained to police.

Tip of the iceberg since most people do not report.

Priority in Police and Crime Plans for Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria

Launched Regional Strategy to Combat Violence against Women and Girls

Page 4: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

A North East Co-ordinated Approach

Strategy includes 20 priorities across:

Domestic and sexual violence and abuse

Human trafficking and sex work

Forced marriage and so-called honour crimes

Female genital mutilation

Harassment and stalking

Page 5: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

HMIC - Everyone’s business -Northumbria

1 of 8 forces named as giving a good response to victims

Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority for Northumbria Police by the whole organisation.

Highlighted good work and good information sharing with partner agencies making victims fell safe.

Noted that the force has an above average arrest rate with 86% of domestic abuse crimes recorded resulting in an arrest and 50% of arrests resulting in a charge.

Page 6: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Working with the voluntary sector

The Victim's Perspective - Wearside Women in Need

A specialist DV worker and a police officer respond jointly to DV incidents:

Giving a holistic package of support at the point of crisis

Dual approach of crisis intervention and long term support

Shared learning and relationship building

Flexibility providing the service when it is needed – Friday/Saturday night/World Cup and Bank Holidays – not a 9-5 service

Page 7: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Working with the Voluntary Sector The Pilot – Initial Evaluation

Contact made with victims who had no previous relationship with support services

Previously 1% of victims given a helpline number in a crisis go on to make contact

In pilot 55% of victims given a number made further contact.

Practical impacts – Security measures, MARAC referrals

Page 8: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Working with the voluntary sector Successful competed fund bid for £262,488 - roll out & strengthen…..

Provide the service for additional nights in both Sunderland and Newcastle – areas with the highest prevalence of DV

DV workers available 9-5 to support officers develop strong Harm Reduction Plans

Potential to put DV workers in A & E

DV workers to provide more ‘follow up contact ‘ following busy call out nights to consolidate the work of the DV worker and police officer at the incident

DV workers to accompany officers on lunchtime follow up visits with victims in their areas.

IT – Body worn cameras to support evidence led prosecutions, TECSOS phones to enhance victim's feeling of safety, ACESO systems to analyse mobile phone data immediately

Page 9: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Strengthening police support for victims DVPNs and Victim Support - Training and procedures developed around new legislation:

1. On issuing a DVPN, attending officer completes DASH risk assessment with the victim, includes the offer of referral to victims services

2. If the victim is high risk, they are referred regardless of their wishes

3. Once the DVPN goes to court, CJU immediately send notification of the hearing, prompting 24/7 officers, when updating the victim about the DVPN progress, to offer victim support again if victim did not consent to referral initially

Page 10: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Strengthening police response

Enhanced procedure for supporting standard risk DV victims Attending officer conducts immediate safeguarding/safety planning ·

Standard risk cases will be reviewed and the NPT supervisor will allocate to the NPT officer covering the appropriate beat for follow up.

The reviewing supervisor will decide required follow up action..

Page 11: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Innovation in the workplace

Workplace Policy

Jane and Fiona’s Story

Promotion of a model DV policy to over 120 employers

Domestic and sexual violence champions

Network across public and private sector organisations – 165 champions

Providing safe access to confidential help and support

Page 12: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Northumbria Police

Employers policy in place Domestic and Sexual violence champions in every area command and department Senior Management Team Leads for DV in every area command and department

Page 13: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Some private sector members

Page 14: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Some Public/Voluntary Sector members

Page 15: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Innovation through volunteers

HMIC crime reporting - strong evidence that police under-record crime, particularly sexual crimes such as rape in many police areas. – remember rape is an inevitable part of domestic abuse.

In Northumbria 54 cases require further investigation. These have been reopened as crimes and each case will be reinvestigated by the review team. This will include contacting the victims in these identified cases and our main priority is to support them through this process.

In Northumbria we have acted immediately, tackling any poor culture which we may have

We are also working to improve our no crime rate with the support of volunteers on our Rape Scrutiny panel

Volunteers are also watching rape cases in Crown Court, helping us to improve the experience for victims

Page 16: Tackling Domestic Abuse Together - The Police Foundation · 2014-10-24 · Tackling Domestic Abuse Together Vera Baird QC ... Stated that tackling domestic abuse is a clear priority

Coercive Control is coming your way….

What is coercive control? ◦ Pattern of behaviour which seeks to take away the victims liberty or freedom and to strip away their sense of

self

◦ A range of tactics including isolation, degradation, mind games, limiting social activities and food consumption

Campaign for change – creating a new offence of domestic violence and exercising ‘coercive control’

Low level of prosecutions related to domestic violence assaults and incidents

Vital for key statutory agencies to understand the pattern of domestic abuse and the ongoing impact on victims

Need to ensure a robust criminal justice system to take account of patterns of behaviour and have the tools needed to respond