Additional funding for rape and domestic abuse support
Ministers have confirmed a funding boost for victims of rape and domestic abuse.
Nearly £11 million will be awarded to a range of services offering practical and emotional help – allowing organisations to recruit more staff, adapt to remote counselling methods during the pandemic and keep helplines open for longer.
In addition, Ministers have announced a further £7 million will go towards a range of innovative programmes aimed at perpetrators, designed to prevent domestic abuse from happening in the first place.
The package of support includes:
- £10.1 million to rape and domestic abuse support centres and Police and Crime Commissioners to fund services across England and Wales.
- £7.17 million for a range of innovative programmes aimed at perpetrators to last beyond the pandemic to help offenders change their behaviours and prevent such crimes happening in the first place. Independent research has shown these programmes cut risk of physical abuse, with the Drive Partnership, which is one of the programmes being funded, demonstrating an 82 per cent reduction in risk.
- Twenty-nine funding awards totalling £7.17 million awarded to Police and Crime Commissioners working with perpetrators of domestic abuse, including West Mercia, Dorset and Sussex.
- £680,000 going directly towards up to 34 domestic abuse organisations that have shown a need for extra funds. The organisations provide support services for victims, including front line services and virtual services. Funds might be needed, for example, to provide new temporary staff to deal with additional calls to helplines or to provide additional counselling for victims.
- A renewal of the #YouAreNotAlone campaign for the period of new restrictions which signposts people towards support services and online resources, and reminds people that the new national restrictions do not apply if you are in danger at home.
In addition, the Government says that victims of all crimes will benefit from a clearer set of rights regarding the support they should receive from the police, courts and other criminal justice agencies.
The new Victims' Code sets out 12 key overarching rights, which are intended to be clear, concise and easy to understand. It will come into force on 1 April 2021 and includes a new right for eligible victims to be automatically referred to the Victim Contact Scheme as well as greater rights for victims of mentally disordered offenders.
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20/11/20