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Search for press releasesPreventing domestic violence over the holidays
16 December 2008
A new enforcement campaign to protect and support victims of domestic violence over the Christmas period launches today.
The increased enforcement activity will run alongside a national television advertising campaign encouraging victims of domestic violence to seek support and not to suffer in silence.
The campaign will feature a woman at a celebration with people around her singing 'when we get behind closed doors'. It has the strapline 'Don’t suffer in silence’.
The adverts and posters are supported by Women's Aid (new window) and Refuge (new window) and will run until 15 January 2009 on national television.
The domestic violence enforcement campaign will run in 10 police force areas over Christmas, a time when women are at increased risk.
The campaign builds on the success of previous campaigns and encourages increased police-led activity in higher risk areas during seasonal peaks.
Key points
It will include:
- innovative tactics such as the use of body-worn video cameras by police
- dedicated domestic abuse response vehicles
- increased frontline policing and more specialist advice for officers at the scene of domestic abuse
- identification and targeting of the 10 highest risk perpetrators in each area – including proactive bail checks based on intelligence
- identification through multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARACs) of the ten highest risk victims in each area
The Home Secretary also announced that next year she will launch a cross-government consultation on violence against women, building on recent successes and investigating what more we can do to prevent this violence.
It will also look at how best to challenge attitudes that may uphold violence, and how to reduce the fear of serious violence that infringes many women’s ability to go about their daily lives freely.
The Home Secretary's statement
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: 'For many, Christmas is a family time, but for some it is a time of fear, violence and isolation. I am determined to do all I can to protect women from becoming victims of these horrific crimes.
'There is no either/or option to tackling domestic violence: tough enforcement must be coupled with support and encouragement for victims to seek help and report these crimes.
'We are rightly increasing our efforts over the Christmas period when incidents of domestic abuse peak but I want to ensure that we are tackling this crime year round.
'Next year I will be launching a consultation to find out what more we can do to improve the safety of women in their homes, at work and in public. I want people to recognise that we all have a role to play in ending violence against women.'
Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) statement
Chief Constable Brian Moore, ACPO lead for domestic abuse said, 'We welcome the support of the Home Office in receiving additional funding to support this campaign in the fight against domestic abuse. The domestic violence enforcement campaign is an opportunity to increase awareness and activity across the police service and our partners.
'From previous campaigns, we know that Christmas and New Year is a time of significant increases in domestic abuse. We urge victims to come forward and we will support and protect them.
'We also want to send a message to perpetrators of domestic abuse that this behaviour will not be tolerated and that we will arrest and prosecute for these crimes.
'We want everyone to be safe in their homes this Christmas and new year.'
Women's Aid statement
Nicola Harwin CBE, chief executive for Women’s Aid said, 'At Christmas and New Year pressure on Women’s Aid services can increase, as it can be a very stressful time for women with violent and abusive partners, as the family is together for an extended period of time and existing abuse can intensify.
'Often, a woman will not leave her abusive partner during the early part of the festive season because she does not want her family, particularly her children, to feel upset during Christmas. As a result, New Year can be a very busy time for the National Helpline and Women’s Aid local domestic violence services as women seek help and support for themselves and their children.
'Women’s Aid welcomes this new advertising and enforcement campaign, which we hope will not only increase awareness of domestic violence at this difficult time but also increase frontline police protection for vulnerable women and children at risk from violence in the home this Christmas.'
Notes to editors
- The campaign will run from 21 December until 5 January 2009 and has received £100,000 of Home Office funding.
- It will run in 10 basic command units: South Wales, Northamptonshire North, Mid Kent, Cornwall and Isle of Scilly, East Sussex, Newham, Calderdale, Wiltshire, Northern Warwickshire and Sefton.
- ACPO press office can be contacted on 020 7084 8947 or via 07803 903686 (out of hours).
- For further information or to bid for a minister, please contact the Home Office press office on 020 7035 3535.
- Download the report, Lessons learned from the domestic violence enforcement campaigns 2006 (new window).
