More than £1 million has been awarded to Greater Manchester to help prevent domestic abuse from happening through work with perpetrators.
Existing programmes of support will be expanded as part of the funding into Stockport, Manchester, Salford and Wigan. Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor has also announced a £80,000 investment, alongside matching funding from the four local authority areas to help prevent domestic abuse across the city-region.
Relationships charity, Talk, Listen, Change (TLC) will deliver a series of programmes focusing on interventions which address the behaviour of domestic abuse perpetrators. Some of the programmes include one-to-one work with female perpetrators in heterosexual or same sex relationships, and group work with heterosexual men. TLC will also be working individually with gay and bisexual men, as well as men and women who have English as a second language.
Additionally, the charity will help prevent domestic abuse involving young people through a programme focusing on adolescents in relationships, and another programme preventing child on parent abuse.
Stockport will also be taking part in White Ribbon Day 2020 on Wednesday 25 November. Each year, thousands of people stand up, speak out and say no to violence against women. This year is more important than ever with a significant increase in violence, harassment and abuse towards women during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Cllr Amanda Peers, Stockport Council Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods said:
Nobody should be living with abuse or fear of abuse. If you or somebody you know are experiencing or at risk of abuse, even if you only suspect that there is abuse taking place, please contact Greater Manchester’s Victims’ Services on 0161 200 1950.
“Specialist help is available locally in Stockport and throughout Greater Manchester so please do get in touch.”
Bev Hughes, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said:
If we are to eradicate domestic violence and prevent it being repeated, it is essential that, alongside enforcement, we also work with perpetrators to change their behaviour. Working with local authorities, this funding boost will enable TLC to extend their perpetrator programmes to men in same sex relationships, people who don’t speak English as a first language, and young people. This means we can reach more families and help to tackle the damage caused by domestic violence.
“We know for some people lockdown has caused extra strain, potentially trapping people at home with their abusers, cut off from existing support networks. This is why it is crucial now more than ever that preventative work is undertaken to help perpetrators and support victims and survivors.”
Michelle Hill, Chief Executive Officer of Talk, Listen, Change said:
We are delighted to have received the Home Office funding which will expand our existing domestic abuse prevention work and enable us to work with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and partners in Manchester, Salford, Stockport and Wigan Councils to increase our reach with new services.
“For over 10 years we have worked to deliver behaviour change programmes for perpetrators which address the cause of domestic abuse and prioritise the safety of victims, survivors and children. We have always envisioned a future that developed this work further and thanks to this funding, not only will existing services expand, but for the first time we will be able to work with people who do not have English as a first language and men in same-sex relationships. “It also provides the opportunity to work in an innovative way with young people who have experienced domestic abuse, which will set them up for a safer and healthier future. Now, more than ever, we believe this work is absolutely vital.”