The Home Office has committed up to £18 million per year over 2
years towards the next phase of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator
Intervention Fund, bringing the total fund to £36 million.
Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will be given funding to
increase the availability of domestic abuse perpetrator
intervention schemes in their areas, such as behaviour change
programmes, that aim to improve victim safety and reduce the risk
posed by abusers.
Since 2020 the Home Office has awarded over £41 million to PCCs
across England and Wales.
Minister for Safeguarding said:
I am fully committed to tackling domestic abuse and protecting
victims from suffering the lasting impacts of these horrific
crimes.
Our vital Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund allows
police forces to intervene early, and work with perpetrators to
change their behaviour and reduce the risk they pose, in order to
protect victims.
Previous iterations of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator
Intervention Fund have funded schemes such as the Drive Project,
which works with high harm and serial perpetrators to prevent
them from abusing again.
Recent evaluation from the Drive Project has shown that
participation from dangerous perpetrators resulted in a reduction
in abuse and risk amongst users of the service, with 82% fewer
perpetrators using physical abuse.
Today (9 January 2023) the Home Office has also published 7
standards which provide commissioners with the guidance they need
to commission effective interventions with perpetrators, whilst
also ensuring that victims’ safety and welfare remains paramount.
These have been created based on existing evidence of perpetrator
interventions.
The standards outline
the need for interventions to be conducted at the right time and
by highly skilled staff. They also outline the importance of
holding the perpetrator accountable for their actions, and
highlight that the priority outcomes for such interventions
should be enhanced safety and freedom for victims and survivors.
The publication of the standards and launch of the Domestic Abuse
Perpetrator Intervention Fund is part of the government’s
commitment to tackle domestic abuse, as laid out in the Tackling
Domestic Abuse Plan.
The plan signifies the government’s continuous efforts to tackle
domestic abuse through prioritising prevention, supporting
victims, pursuing perpetrators, and building a stronger system.
In addition, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 gave clearer guidance as
to what constitutes domestic abuse and provides stronger
protection for victims of domestic abuse.
