Domestic abuse prevention
Domestic abuse prevention
Author
Introduction
Evidence from over 141 Domestic Homicide Reviews in England and Wales over the last seven years shows that families and friends of victims often hold information that is hidden to services and is key to earlier warning and homicide prevention. To date no service has invested in placing families, friends and communities at the heart of domestic homicide prevention, and there is currently no clear pathway for families and friends to report concerns.
2021 Award
Becky Rogerson (CF 2011) is the Director of Sunderland-based domestic abuse charity, Wearside Women in Need. In the pandemic period, the charity has seen a dramatic increase in domestic homicides, with victims finding it harder to access services during the Covid-19 lockdown. With support from a Covid-19 Action grant, and in consultation with charity Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse, Becky began work on a scheme to engage and empower the family and friends of those experiencing domestic abuse, to speak out and report concerns.
She has been awarded one of our Activate grants to develop this scheme and pilot a regional early intervention and prevention project in the north-east of England, which will engage friends and families of domestic abuse survivors. She will use the funding to secure specialist support to assist with the project and develop the framework for a replicable model, which she can present to potential funders and service commissioners. As part of this, she will secure the services of consultants to provide legal advice on information-sharing and GDPR considerations, as well as advice on safeguarding issues and staff training. After 12 months, Becky hopes to have a service operating in Sunderland that will provide clear pathways for friends and families of survivors to report abuse, therefore preventing cases of domestic homicide. This will be used as a model of good practice for replication around the country.
Becky’s Fellowship to North and South America in 2011 explored legal and community responses to domestic violence.
2021 Award
Becky Rogerson (CF 2011) is the Director of Sunderland-based domestic abuse charity, Wearside Women in Need. In the pandemic period, the charity has seen a dramatic increase in domestic homicides, with victims finding it harder to access services during the Covid-19 lockdown. With support from a Covid-19 Action grant, and in consultation with charity Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse, Becky began work on a scheme to engage and empower the family and friends of those experiencing domestic abuse, to speak out and report concerns.
She has been awarded one of our Activate grants to develop this scheme and pilot a regional early intervention and prevention project in the north-east of England, which will engage friends and families of domestic abuse survivors. She will use the funding to secure specialist support to assist with the project and develop the framework for a replicable model, which she can present to potential funders and service commissioners. As part of this, she will secure the services of consultants to provide legal advice on information-sharing and GDPR considerations, as well as advice on safeguarding issues and staff training. After 12 months, Becky hopes to have a service operating in Sunderland that will provide clear pathways for friends and families of survivors to report abuse, therefore preventing cases of domestic homicide. This will be used as a model of good practice for replication around the country.
Becky’s Fellowship to North and South America in 2011 explored legal and community responses to domestic violence.