National prevalence data on domestic abuse remains high and Gloucestershire recognises the continued need to focus on underreported crimes, acknowledging the devastating impact they have on the individual, their family, community and wider society. There is a continued commitment to work together from statutory partners and the wider community and voluntary sector, which upholds the principles of a coordinated community response to tackling domestic abuse.
The development of this strategy reflects our local commitment to ensuring an ongoing, robust response to domestic abuse, and fulfils the statutory requirement set out in the Domestic Abuse Act 20213. This statutory duty requires all local authorities to develop a strategy that outlines their local response to providing support within domestic abuse safe accommodation. The Gloucestershire DA LPB has requested that this strategy also considers a wider response to domestic abuse, ensuring the needs of all victims/survivors of domestic abuse and their families, both within safe accommodation
and within the community, are considered.
The scope of this strategy will consider domestic abuse for victims aged 16 and over as well as children of any age who are considered as victims in their own right due to witnessing or experiencing the effects of domestic abuse.
In recognition of the statutory definition of domestic abuse, and considering the strategic approach locally to addressing Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG), this strategy will also prioritise a focus on tackling:
Domestic abuse
- Honour based abuse
- Forced marriage
- Child to parent abuse
- Stalking (both within and outside of the context of domestic abuse
The tackling Violence against Women and Girls agenda more broadly aligns to Governments priorities of halving Violence against Women and Girls within the next decade, with at least 1 in every 12 women becoming a victim of Violence against Women and Girls per year. This partnership approach therefore ensures we have local structures to address this Government priority, alongside our local approach of tackling domestic abuse in all its forms, regardless of gender.
Also, in recognition of the duty to collaborate within the Victim and Prisoners Act 2024, the approach of this strategy will also align with the county approach to tackling serious violence.
In addition, this strategy recognises that our approach to tackling domestic abuse, and the above associated issues, needs to be aligned to the sexual violence agenda.
As such, we will ensure a clear link is in place with the Sexual Violence Partnership Board, considering
opportunities for joint working where necessary and providing a clear partnership approach to tackling Violence against Women and Girls in Gloucestershire.
Locally we recognise the gendered nature of these crimes in line with the Government response to tackling Violence against Women and Girls. We do, however, ensure our local community based response to domestic abuse is accessible to all, regardless of gender and other protected characteristics. In Gloucestershire, domestic support is provided in single gender domestic abuse accommodation in line with statutory guidance but there is a mix of provision in the county to ensure
there is a safe accommodation offer available for all genders. In addition, the strategy and its implementation will remain responsive to national legislation, policy and statutory guidance, particularly in relation to the current Government’s commitment to tackling Violence against
Women and Girls.
The Gloucestershire DA LPB has collaboratively produced this strategy and its priorities, ensuring input from across the partnership and building on the previous strategy (2021-2024), local needs assessment as well as national strategy and legislation. In addition, the strategy has been informed by the voice of the victim/survivor and the wider community, ensuring our local responses place the victim at the centre of service delivery and that the ongoing work of the DA LPB keeps the victim/survivor voice at its core.
The Gloucestershire DA LPB was established in 2021 in response to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The DA LPB consists of three tiers: LPB Strategic Group, LPB Operational Group and the LPB Consultation Network that facilitates the collation of survivor voice. Each has their own set of aims and objectives to drive forward Gloucestershire’s approach to tackling domestic abuse.
The role of the LPB is to oversee all activity in relation to the development, implementation and review of the domestic abuse strategy for Gloucestershire.
For governance purposes, this board reports into Safer Gloucestershire and also links to the Health and Wellbeing Board, Gloucestershire Adult Safeguarding Board and Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership. In addition, close links are in place with the Gloucestershire Sexual Violence Partnership and the county’s approach to the Serious Violence Duty.
