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Your roundup of local and national
domestic abuse stories
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Charity opens Midlands HQ as domestic abuse cases soar
Breaking the Silence (BTSUK), which also supports victims of forced marriage and human trafficking, has taken a five-year lease on offices at Aston in Birmingham, landlord Key Land Capital has announced. The move to Aston Cross Business Village will enable the charity, established by Raj Holness – a survivor of many years of sexual and domestic abuse – to provide help and support for many more adult and child victims across the region. Breaking the Silence supports and empowers victims and their dependents from all walks of life, allowing them to take back control of their lives and break the silence of their trauma, achieved through its six-month intensive therapeutic ‘Building From Broken Pieces’ Programme.
-Express & Star
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Domestic abuse reports ‘likely to rise in Telford after lockdown
Telford & Wrekin Council’s public health chief Liz Noakes says domestic abuse crimes and incidents recorded by West Mercia Police actually fell in April and May, compared to the same period in 2019. Charities are predicting a “potential 30 per cent rise” once households come out of lockdown, she adds. In a report for the borough’s health and wellbeing board, Ms Noakes says the council has allocated more than £300,000 to help support victims and work with perpetrators, and has successfully bid for around £65,000 from central government towards safe accommodation.
-Shropshire Star
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Thirteen per cent decrease in crimes recorded under Domestic Abuse Act 2018
There has been a drop in crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, according to Scotland’s chief statistician. In figures released today that analyse the impact of the coronavirus lockdown, a 13 per cent drop in domestic abuse crimes was reported as compared with April 2019. Recorded sexual crimes were 26 per cent lower overall, prompted mainly by a drop in offences of sexual assault (down by 46 per cent) and rape and attempted rape (down by 27 per cent), while non-sexual crimes of violence fell by 14 per cent.
-Scottish Legal News
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Sisters-in-law walk 60,000 steps to help victims of domestic abuse
SISTERS-IN-LAW Denise and Kerry Hampshire smashed their 60,000-step challenge to raise money for victims of domestic abuse. They set themselves a target to walk the distance across six days for Swindon Women’s Aid. Denise and Kerry, from Wroughton, wanted to help the charity keep up its 24-hour support service during the pandemic. Denise, 47, told the Adver: “I saw that they were desperate for funds because they usually get their income from their shop in Swindon. But now that’s closed they have been struggling. “So me and my sister-in-law decided to use all the time we had and do something for charity.”
-Swindon Advertiser
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Domestic abuse now accounts for 40 per cent of police calls
Since lockdown measures have eased, domestic abuse calls to Kent Police have increased nearly five-fold, the head of Kent Police has said. Chief Constable Alan Pughsley made the admission during his quarterly Performance and Delivery Board meeting with Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott who quizzed him on concerns from charities and others that the lockdown has caused a spike in violence in the home. The Chief Constable said before lockdown measures were eased, domestic abuse accounted for between 6-11 per cent of all calls to Kent Police. But that figure has rocketed over the last fortnight.
-Times of Tunbridge Wells
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