PFCC secures Home Office funding to continue breaking the cycle of domestic abuse

People who commit domestic abuse will have more opportunities to change their behaviour thanks to £1.2m of Home Office funding for perpetrator projects in Essex. The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, working in partnership with Essex County Council, Southend City Council and Thurrock Council made a successful bid to the Home Office’s Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Fund. The money will mean that the Southend, Essex and Thurrock Domestic Abuse Board (SETDAB) can continue to fund innovate schemes including the Goodman and Sisters in Strength mentoring projects and The Change Hub perpetrator intervention programme for another two years. SETDAB’s successful behaviour change campaign #Reflect will also be continued. In addition to sustaining existing activity, this new funding will also be used to pilot a new and innovative approach to targeting perpetrators of stalking behaviours, as well as intervening early with first-time entrants into the criminal justice system for lower-risk domestic abuse offences who will be given the opportunity to reflect upon and change their behaviours before they escalate. The funding will also be used to independently evaluate the projects; building up an evidence base and improving our understanding of what works most effectively when seeking to break the cycle of domestic abuse. The projects educate people involved in domestic abuse offences, encouraging them to change their behaviours, recognising what healthy relationships look like. A portion of the funding is also allocated to victim services, recognising that when engaging with perpetrators it is important to ensure victims are informed, protected and offered help. Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “Breaking the cycle of domestic abuse is a key priority for us. By working in partnership to deliver projects which educate people we can prevent domestic abuse from happening in the first place and reduce the amount of harm this crime and behaviour causes.” This Home Office Domestic Abuse perpetrator funding is available from 1^st April 2023 to end-March 2025. It is supplemented with local match funding from the PFCC, Essex County Council, Thurrock Council, and Southend-on-Sea City Council. If you’re affected by issues raised in this article, there is help available from your local domestic abuse service Essex Compass If you are in immediate danger always call 999.