Agenda item

To receive the report of Julie Tailor, Domestic Violence Co-ordinator.

RECEIVED the report of Julie Tailor, Domestic Violence Co-Ordinator highlighting the following:

·         The report provided an oversight of the work being undertaken to tackle Domestic Abuse (DA) and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in public spaces. It also provided examples of partnership work to reduce risks and support victims of DA and VAWG more broadly.

·         Enfield Council had been successful in securing a Perpetrator Programme in the Borough and this project began in November 2020. The programme will address different elements of the identities of domestic abuse victims and perpetrators, rather than just one-like race or gender. It will also help to break down some of the barriers to victims accessing support and help challenge and disrupt the abuse.

·         The Enfield Domestic Abuse Hub was officially launched on 1^st May 2020 in response to the emergent concern of increasing domestic abuse incidents in the Borough during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The helpline continues to operate during weekdays between 9am to 5pm. Each victim is provided with tailored advice to their individual needs and can be referred on to other agencies for further support.

·         Enfield had funded a Locks and Bolt scheme which launched in June 2020. The Locks and Bolts scheme is available to individuals that have been a victim of crime. The service works with vulnerable clients & their families to enable people to feel safe in their own homes.

·         Enfield also has a “Safe Spaces” scheme which was set up by Hestia. UK SAYS NO MORE is working with Boots UK, Morrisons, Superdrug and Well pharmacies, TSB banks and independent pharmacies across the UK to provide Safe Spaces in their consultation rooms for people experiencing Domestic Abuse. They provide a safe and discrete way to reach out to friends and family, contact specialist support services and start their journey to recovery. There are currently 11 Safe Spaces in Enfield.

·         Further information was provided on the Resilience Team and DAHA Accreditation, Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) Strategy, Police VAWG Plan, Annual Campaign as well as the 21-bed refuge in the borough which continues to provide support to survivors of Domestic Abuse (DA).

The following comments/questions were raised:

1.    In response to a query as to what provision is made for male victims of domestic abuse members were advised that there is support available in the borough and provision provided such as the Locks and Bolt scheme as well as other services.

2.    It was recognised that male and same sex domestic abuse is often under-reported therefore Enfield Council regularly run campaigns to encourage victims to come forward to access the support available. The Police are also doing their best to get the message out to the public to assure them that a cohesive, collaborative approach is used for all victims of crime.

3.    Hestia had undertaken a massive piece of work to advertise their “Safe Spaces” and Enfield Council are ensuring that this message is reiterated in the Borough by constantly working with and updating all partnership agencies.

4.    It was recognised that engaging with the community is key to identifying and reaching out to victims of domestic abuse, and therefore community events were a great avenue for engaging with some of the hard to reach communities within the borough.

5.    Customer Services are developing two community hubs which will employ nine community ambassadors. The aim is to use these posts to reach out, engage and support the communities and signpost them to services which may include DA support. Another ambition is to develop a Family Hub network, with the aim of bringing services into the community rather than expecting people to seek out support. It was agreed that this sort of engagement and support must be the direction of travel moving forward.

6.    A programme of conversations with health partners is taking place to improve joined up working and integration in the context of developing Family Hubs ambition, including discussion with North Middlesex Hospital.

7.    In response to a question about the distribution of the “Safe Spaces” and whether these are distributed in the borough where the need is, Julie Tailor, Domestic Abuse Co-Ordinator advised that a lot depends on the independent agency themselves, however conversations are always ongoing with the agency to see how we as a Council can enhance the project.

8.    Last year’s data had shown Enfield to be the 4^th highest Borough in London for Domestic Abuse Incidents. Ivana Price, Head of Early Help Youth & Community Safety advised that during the pandemic there had been a significant increase in the numbers of Domestic Abuse Incidents. However, in the year ending January 2022 there had been a decrease of 4% in this crime type and this trajectory has continued.