Domestic Violence

If you, or someone you know, is affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence, please speak up. Support is available. Please contact the FJC on: 020 8688 0100  or fjc@croydon.gov.uk   National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 

Please click here to see the latest Croydon Bulletin for Domestic Violence. This edition details services in Croydon that continue to take referrals and support children and adults throughout lockdown as well as up to date information from the FJC and MARAC.

Domestic Violence killings reach 5 year high During 2018, 173 people were killed in domestic violence related homicides. This data has bee obtained by the BBC from 43 police forces across the UK. This is an increase of 32 deaths from 2017.  Whilst both men and women are killed by domestic violence, the majority of victims are women. 

In England and Wales, between April 2014 and March 2017, around three quarters of victims of domestic killings are by a partner, ex-partners or family members were women, while suspects are predominantly male.  According to data. 165 domestic killings occurred in 2014, 160 in 2015, 139 in 2016 and 141 in 2017. 

This rise in domestic violence killings comes as passage of new legislation on the issues was halted because of parliament’s suspension.   The Domestic abuse bill was introduced into parliament in July. The bill would have provided increased protection for victim's fleeing violence by placing a legal duty on councils to provide secure homes for them and their children. 

 DASV National News! Rape convictions at a record low  The number of people prosecuted for rape in England and Wales has slumped to an all-time low, despite record volumes of cases being reported to police, new figures show. The annual Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) report from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) shows there were just 1,925 convictions for rape during the financial year 2018 -19, down from 2,635 in the previous 12 months - a drop of 26.9%. This is despite the number of rape claims dealt with annually by police in England and Wales rising from 35,847 to 57,882 during the last four years. It means around 3.3% of all reported rapes end in a conviction. New DV commissioner announced! 

The British government has named Nicole Jacobs, former chief executive officer of the Standing Together Against Domestic Violence charity, as the country’s first Domestic Abuse Commissioner.  She is officially designated in the role until the independent commissioner’s office is placed on a statutory footing, the Home Office said. Jacobs has more than two decades of experience working to reduce domestic abuse as a frontline practitioner, in senior operational and management roles, and as a trainer and strategic leader. She has written opinion pieces in sector journals and was a founding member of the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance, which has pushed housing providers to make the matter a priority in their business plans. As Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Jacobs is tasked to take the lead on driving improvements in responses to the problem in the UK, championing victims, and making recommendations on what more should be done to better protect victims and bring more offenders to justice. DASV National News!  

Offenders convicted of controlling or coercive behaviour can now have their sentence increased if someone believes the punishment was not severe enough. The offence is one of 14 to which the ministry of justice has included in the unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme, giving victims and others the power to ask the attorney general to consider referring a sentence to the appeal court for reconsideration. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said: “Sentences are decided by our independent judiciary based on the facts before them, but it is absolutely right that victims have a voice in the system when punishments don’t appear to fit the crime.” 

Our surgery continues to support those struggling with domestic violence with our colleagues at IRIS. Vanessa Richards is a member of the IRIS team and has joined our surgery to help support women suffering with domestic violence. 

Contact Numbers:

• Vanessa Richards - 020 8688 0100
• Domestic Violence Helpline (24 hour) for Women - 0808 2000 247
• Domestic Violence Helpline for Men - 0808 8010 327

Please click here to view a poster from IRIS.