Sexual abuse and domestic violence survivors to benefit from £503,000 funding boost
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst has successfully secured £503,000 extra funding to be invested to support survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence in Essex.
This funding, allocated from the Ministry of Justice, will mean that we will be able to provide even more funding than we currently do to organisations such as Synergy rape crisis partnership, The Children’s Society, Wilderness Foundation and specialist domestic abuse charities Safe Steps, and Next Chapter. These services provide a vital level of support for victims of domestic and sexual offences including tailored specialist support for victims of stalking and counselling for children and young people.
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “I am delighted we have secured this additional investment for our domestic abuse and sexual abuse support services. Improving support for victims and protecting the vulnerable is a key priority in my police and crime plan and an important part of reducing the harm victims experience.
“We work hard across the county with our partner agencies to encourage survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence to come forward. I want anybody affected by these hideous crimes to know that if they come forward and report crime against them they will be treated with care and compassion and provided with appropriate support.
Investing in specialist support services like these is vital part of this support and is designed to help survivors to cope and recover and bring offenders to justice.”
This work will support Roger Hirst in delivering against the priorities to improve support for victims of crime, reducing violence against women and girls, and protecting vulnerable people and breaking the cycle of domestic abuse.
The Synergy rape crisis partnership is a consortium of local rape crisis organisations that support anyone who is affected by any form of sexual violence and abuse, particularly, but not limited, to women and girls. The funding will mean victims will get additional counselling sessions from specialist advocates.
The Children’s Society are a national charity working with young people facing abuse, exploitation, and neglect. The funding will secure a boys and young men sexual abuse support worker.
Safe Steps is a specialist provider delivering a range of community services to support women, men, young people and children to rebuild their lives after domestic abuse. We will be working with them to fund children and young people recovery counselling and other recovery programmes for Southend. Safe Steps will also receive funding to provide a domestic abuse stalking helpline advisor as part of the Compass service.
Wilderness Foundation provides nature-based outreach programmes for adults and young people who have experienced trauma, addiction and abuse. The funding will allow for more recovery counselling programmes for victims.
Next Chapter is a domestic abuse charity working across areas such as Tendring, Colchester, Maldon, Chelmsford, Braintree and Uttlesford. Providing free and confidential services to people who are currently experiencing or have previously experienced domestic abuse. The funding will secure a programmes practitioner for Mid and North Essex.
Essex Police Domestic Abuse Problem Solving Teams work to understand the issues that trigger incidents, address victims’ concerns, and enforce protection orders against perpetrators. The funding will allow for the continued and valuable work of this team with enhanced protection offered to victims via additional Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate (IDVA) resource.
