Crime and Public Protection Steering Group
Domestic Violence - Update
Report by:
Michelle Adeyinka
Date:
20 October 2005
Contact Officer:
Michelle Adeyinka
Telephone:
020 7934 9507
Item no: 9
Job title: Community Safety Policy Officer
Email: [email protected]
Summary:
This report provides an update on the development of the second London
Domestic Violence strategy and the work of Project Umbra.
Recommendations:
That the Crime and Public Protection Steering Group:
1. Note the report.
2. Note the ALG’s response to the GLA’s consultation on the second
London Domestic Violence Strategy.
Report Page 2
Domestic Violence - Update
Introduction
1. Tackling crime and promoting community cohesion is a key priority for the Association of
London Government. The ALG seeks to make a measurable contribution to crime reduction by
working with boroughs and other agencies to tackle priority and violent crime, specifically
domestic violence, priority/prolific offenders, anti-social behaviour and hate crime. This report
provides an update on the development of the second London Domestic Violence Strategy and
the ALG’s response to it. The report also provides information on Project Umbra, the
Metropolitan Police Service response to tackling domestic violence.
2. Domestic violence accounts for approximately a quarter of all reported violent crime and has the
highest rate of repeat victimisation of any crime1. Over a third of all female murder victims are
killed by a current or former partner - on average two women per week. It affects the mental and
physical health of those being abused and can lead to drug/alcohol dependence.
3. Children living in households where domestic violence is being perpetrated are more likely to
have increased levels of attention deficit disorder, anxiety, stuttering and asthma; reduced
educational attainment; increased involvement in anti-social behaviour and street and
playground violence.2 They are also more likely to run away.
The Second London Domestic Violence Strategy
4. The Mayor of London published a consultation paper on the second London Domestic Violence
Strategy on 26 July 2005. The new strategy aims to build on the progress of the last four years
and is focussed on achieving the same four aims of the first strategy, which is to;
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Increase safe choices for women and children experiencing domestic violence so that they
might plan safer futures without compromising their quality of life.
Hold individual abusers accountable for their behaviour in such a way that not only acts as a
future deterrent for them, but also as a deterrent to potential abusers.
Undermine social tolerance or approval of domestic violence or actions and challenge
inaction by either individuals or organisations. This includes exposing the many stereotypes
and myths so that assessments are accurate.
Provide children and young people with the knowledge and skills to build relationships
based on respect and mutual understanding, with shared power and commitment to nonviolence.
5. The new Strategy identifies key priorities in the areas of service development and process and
structural issues. The priorities for services that will be developed or strengthened are:
1
2
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independent domestic violence advocacy services;
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specialist/integrated domestic violence courts;
ODPM, Homelessness and Domestic Violence, December 2002
Women and Equality Unit, DTI, The Cost of Domestic Violence, September 2004
Report Page 3
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the health sector’s response to domestic violence;
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those enabling women to stay safely in their homes;
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provisions for abused women with additional needs;
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community based children’s services;
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interventions with domestic violence perpetrators outside of the criminal justice system;
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increased public awareness and understanding, including further development of domestic
violence work in schools.
6. The priorities for process and structural issues that will be developed or strengthened are:
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improved service user involvement;
standardised domestic violence protocols and guidance, covering such areas as informationsharing, referrals and risk assessments;
further development of a domestic violence resource centre;
monitoring systems and compliance mechanisms;
the provision of high quality domestic violence training.
7. The consultation on the second London Domestic Violence strategy formally ended on 10
October 2005; however, the GLA agreed to allow the ALG to submit its final response on 12
October, after Leaders' Committee. In developing the ALG’s response, an ALG Chief Executives’
Circular sent on 05/08/05 invited comments on the consultation document. The ALG also held
an event on 5 September, to discuss the proposals outlined in the strategy with borough
domestic violence officers. The second London Domestic Violence Strategy will be formally
launched by the London Mayor on 25th November 2005.
8. A response to the consultation was produced and presented to the ALG Leaders’ Committee on
11 October, after dispatch of this report. The ALG response, subject to agreement by Leaders’
Committee, is attached as Appendix 1 of this report. The main points in the Committee
response are that the ALG:
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wants a fifth aim ‘supporting women and children to rebuild their lives after domestic
violence’ to be added to the existing four aims;
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wants the GLA to consult with the boroughs, ALG and other stakeholders on the most
appropriate models for implementation of the key services detailed in the strategy;
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opposes the proposed annual audit of CDRPs;
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wants a greater focus on assessing the outcomes of the strategy and further information
about the arrangements for overseeing progress;
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wants to work with the Mayor on joint lobbying;
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wants clarification about who ‘we’ refers to within the strategy and about the relationship
between the Greater London Authority, Greater London Domestic Violence Project and the
proposed steering group for the strategy;
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wants clarity about when the term ‘borough’ refers to the local authority and when it refers
to a wider range of agencies within the borough boundary.
Report Page 4
Project Umbra
9. Project Umbra was commissioned by the London Criminal Justice Board in 2004. Umbra has as
its top-level objectives ‘stopping the violence’ and ‘holding offenders to account’. The Project is
led by the Metropolitan Police Service, which was originally tasked with developing a domestic
violence strategy for London’s criminal justice agencies. The current management structure
and work priorities for Project Umbra are presented in Appendix 2. In order to develop a
coordinated agency response to tackling domestic violence across London, the work of Project
Umbra has now been subsumed into the second London Domestic Violence Strategy and will be
the main programme for delivering some of the key actions under the new Strategy. Project
Umbra is managed by an Executive Programme Board with responsibility for overseeing the
development and implementation of Project Umbra. The ALG is represented on the Board by
the Director of Social Policy and Grants Division, Hilary McCollum.
10. Project Umbra will be based on five strands of work namely;
 Strand one: Improving Performance and Data Sharing – The aim of this strand is to
improve the performance of Criminal Justice System (CJS) agencies with a special emphasis
on integrating systems across agencies.
 Strand two: Improving Advocacy and Support – The aim of this strand is to develop an
independent advocacy service in every borough, as well as to enhance other support services
for victims.
 Strand three: Children - The aim of this strand is to ensure that the needs of the children
exposed to domestic violence are fully integrated into domestic violence services, policies
and practice.
 Strand four: Offender Management - The aim of this strand is to improve the way that
domestic violence offenders are identified and managed.
 Strand five: Integrated Laws and Courts - The aim of this strand is to ensure greater
consistency and integration across the CJS.
11. ALG officers from the Social Policy & Grants Division are involved with the new Project Umbra
strands focussing on children and improving advocacy & support, to ensure that borough issues
are taken into consideration and secondly, that actions for the ALG reflect the current work
programme and priorities of the Association.
Equalities considerations
12. Domestic violence disproportionately affects women and action to combat it is a priority within
the ALG’s business plan and grants programme. The second strategy has the potential to
positively impact on responses to domestic violence in London.
13. The strategy includes provision for abused women with additional needs as a priority for service
development. Identified groups include disabled women, women with insecure immigration
status and black and minority ethnic women.
Report Page 5
Background Papers
The full text of the consultation document is available at
http://www.alg.gov.uk/doc.asp?doc=14920&cat=1842
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The London Domestic Violence Strategy – Nov 2001
ODPM, Homelessness and Domestic Violence, December 2002
Hughes (1992), cited Holder, R et al (1994), Suffering in Silence? Young People who witness
Domestic Violence, Hammersmith & Fulham Domestic Violence Forum, London
Home Office (2000)
Cawson, Pat, NSPCC (2002), Child Maltreatment in the Family
Bowker, Arbitell & McFerron (1998), cited Women’s Aid Federation of England, Domestic
Violence Statistical Factsheet – Children, August 1999
Saunders (1995), cited Women’s Aid Federation of England, Domestic Violence Statistical
Factsheet – Children, August 1999
Appendices
Appendix 1: Report to ALG Leaders’ Committee - 11 October 2005
Appendix 1a: ALG response to the consultation on the second London Domestic violence
Strategy
Appendix 1b: Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) standards, Minimum Standards
and actions for ALG/boroughs
Appendix 2: Programme management structure for Project Umbra