Stockport Council is working to achieve the White Ribbon domestic violence accreditation as part of its commitment towards helping staff and communities address the serious issue of violence against women.
Awarded by the White Ribbon charity, the accreditation aims to assure an organisation that they are equipped with the skills and experience necessary to identify and prevent all kinds of violence against women. The accreditation also demonstrates a commitment to the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010.
Seeking this accreditation is part of Stockport Council’s long-term commitment to providing appropriate support for victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse. Funding provided by the Home Office for Children Affected by Domestic Abuse, alongside the council’s investment has helped develop an effective co-ordinated community response for Domestic Abuse in Stockport.
Domestic violence against women has never been a more important topic, with alarming figures showing a sharp increase in cases during the pandemic. The National Domestic Abuse helpline, run by the charity Refuge, reported an average of 13,162 calls every month between April 2020 and February 2021 – an increase of 60% compared to before the start of lockdown in 2020. The largest amount of calls came from women in their 30s, with 72% of calls from women reporting violence and abuse. Increases have also been felt on a local level throughout Stockport and Greater Manchester, with 36% of violent cases reported to Greater Manchester Police entailing domestic abuse.
Moreover, Stockport Council’s White Ribbon accreditation plan, will support an inclusive strategic approach to addressing violence against women, men and children in the borough.
The accreditation comes as Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) announce the Gender Based Abuse Strategy, which aims to provide a 10-year strategy to help improve the safety of women and girls who are victims of abuse in the area. The proposals include funding for specific services and projects, training and development for frontline staff and targeted engagement campaigns.
This also comes amid changes nationally with the new Domestic Abuse Act placing new statutory duties on local authorities to provide support for people experiencing domestic abuse, including duties to provide safe accommodation to victims of domestic abuse and a new accountable Domestic Abuse Partnership Board.
Cllr Amanda Peers, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods at Stockport Council, said:
I am proud to be a part of an organisation seeking White Ribbon accreditation. The pandemic has seen a shocking rise in violence and abuse against women in particular, and White Ribbon continue to do vital work in supporting those suffering.
“Achieving a White Ribbon accreditation as an organisation will further demonstrate that we are best placed to help our residents in ending the fight on violence against women. Our staff continue to work tirelessly for our residents, and it is hoped that this accreditation will demonstrate the skills and knowledge of our workforce in addressing Domestic Abuse in our communities.
“I encourage all of our wonderful partner organisations to apply for their accreditation, to demonstrate all of our ongoing commitment to this issue.”