Domestic abuse awareness training available online
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex has invested in training to help the community to spot the signs of domestic abuse taking place around them.
Free training is being offered across the county to ensure everyone is equipped to respond appropriately and effectively if they suspect someone is a victim of domestic abuse or if someone reveals they are suffering abuse – and this training is now available online.
The J9 Domestic Abuse initiative was named in memory of Janine Mundy who was killed by her estranged husband while on police bail and set up by her family and local police in Cornwall.
In 2012, Epping Forest District Council began delivering the scheme locally. In response, Safer Places, the domestic violence support service covering the area at that time, saw a 125 per cent increase in referrals from victims in that area.
Roger Hirst, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex contributed £20,000 towards the roll-out of the scheme to the rest of the county from the 2019/2020 Community Safety Fund.
The programme offers domestic abuse community awareness training and includes signs of abuse, nature of abuse, support agencies and referral routes.
The idea is for the training to improve engagement with victims, improve disclosure rates and provide timely support to victims that safeguards them and their families from harm.
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “Breaking the cycle of domestic abuse is one of the priorities in our Police and Crime Plan. Working together with partners across the county, our objective is to help those who suffer in silence and reduce the impact on children and families. The J9 training helps people recognise the signs and indicators of domestic abuse and gives victims confidence that they will get the help and support they need. It really is a great initiative and one that we are proud to support.”
To book a community J9 training session with your organisation email [email protected]. The sessions are currently being delivered online via Zoom and take place on Tuesdays at 10am and Thursdays at 2pm.
