Grant funding awarded to Hull City Council will provide specialist safe accommodation and support to survivors of domestic abuse.
The money was allocated under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. This is national legislation designed to raise awareness, strengthen support and improve the effectiveness of the justice system.
In Hull, it will be used to deliver the city’s Domestic Abuse Strategy. The draft strategy, available now, sets out how a coordinated community response will be used to support domestic abuse survivors. Safe accommodation is a key part of this.
A piece of work called an Equality Impact Analysis was undertaken as part of the creation of the strategy. This involved working with service users, domestic abuse specialist services and other stakeholders to ensure the best possible understanding of the needs of the local population. The analysis considered the needs of people from all backgrounds.
The resulting strategy defines how the council, along with its partners, will:
- Create a dedicated domestic abuse housing hub that will be accessible to all survivors
- Enable more people to safely stay in their own home by offering “sanctuary scheme” measures
- Enhance the capacity of the existing commissioned domestic abuse safe accommodation providers – allowing them to help more people
- Strengthen provision to support children affected by domestic abuse
- Develop a specialist complex needs provision for survivors facing multiple disadvantage
- Ensure that publicity and awareness raising is targeted at underrepresented groups, to encourage people to come forward for support
- Ensure the council works closely with neighbouring local authorities to ensure a joined up response for survivors
- Ensure data is captured on who is and isn’t using services, so that resources can be better targeted in the future.
Tracy Harsley, Assistant Director of CitySafe, said: “The most important thing we can do in providing support to people who have experienced domestic abuse is to listen to them. This funding and the draft Domestic Abuse strategy are entirely geared towards providing meaningful help at a point when people need it most.
“This approach will ensure abuse survivors can be safe and feel safe in their own homes – whether that’s security measures that make this possible at their own property, or helping them find somewhere else.
“The draft strategy itself is about creating long-term change. It sets out the work we will do to create a city where everyone can life a safe, healthy life, without the threat and fear of domestic abuse”.
Cllr Aneesa Akbar, Portfolio Holder for Communities at Hull City Council, said: “We really appreciate every person who took the time to speak to us. The draft strategy represents our commitment to working to prevent domestic abuse happening and providing meaningful support, advice and information to those who experience it.
“It is also about addressing the perpetrators, by engaging them to change their behaviour and seeking justice where possible.
“There will also be wider work with all our local communities to raise awareness of what domestic abuse can look like, the help available and how to get it, as well as how to safely and appropriately help someone else”.
The draft strategy is available now, via this link: https://www.hull.gov.uk/sites/hull/files/media/Domestic%20Abuse%20Strategy%202021%20-%202024.pdf . The final version will be agreed and published before January 5, 2022.
Get information about support here: https://www.hull.gov.uk/support-adults/safeguarding/domestic-violence , or call Hull Domestic Abuse Partnership on: 01482 318 759. In an emergency call 999.
