Helping victims of violence

A new approach to tackling domestic abuse in the borough has been launched.
Organisations are working together to combat domestic abuseOrganisations are working together to combat domestic abuse
Organisations are working together to combat domestic abuse

Wigan borough currently has around 7,500 domestic abuse incidents a year, that’s a staggering 600 plus every month.A skilled multi-agency hub will support victims while also getting to the root cause of the abuse to prevent it happening again.The team includes police officers, independent domestic abuse advisers, Citizens Advice workers and volunteers as well as victim support officers.Victims will be offered immediate support to ensure they, and their family, are safe but will then be supported to resolve wider family issues such as debt, mental health and drug and alcohol issues.Perpetrators of domestic abuse will also receive interventions and support. This could include criminal convictions and restraining orders from the court to behaviour change programmes.Wider issues such as drug and alcohol issues, mental health, housing and debt problems will also be addressed.Coun Nazia Rehman, Wigan Council’s lead member for community and family safety, said: “Wigan borough is leading the way in its support for families in need, including those affected by domestic abuse.“We offer every single domestic abuse victim face-to-face support but we know that often domestic abuse is not in isolation from other difficult issues affecting that relationship.“It could be debt issues, drug and alcohol, mental health support or other matters which are the underlying causes.“That is where the new victim hub can contribute to supporting families in tackling the root causes of the abuse.“We are investing in this service because of its importance to communities and importance to victims. We are confident this new approach will be a great success.”Ch Insp Michael Fraser, the police lead for domestic abuse in Wigan, said: “At Greater Manchester Police we are dedicated and passionate about preventing domestic abuse victims becoming victims again.“This newly designed team will be more effective at tackling this huge issue and making sure perpetrators are brought to justice while the victim is offered the right support to end the cycle of violence.”The teams are also committed to working with schools and nurseries to help protect and support children who are often significantly affected by domestic abuse.They will also continue to use Clare’s Law to enable people to find out if their partner has had any previous domestic abuse conviction