Commissioner welcomes extra £250,000 to tackle domestic abuse and sexual violence in Northamptonshire

Six domestic and sexual abuse services in Northamptonshire will share nearly £250,000 extra funding from the government to battle on through the Covid-19 crisis.

Organisations working with victims in the county were able to apply for a slice of the cash through the office of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold, to support them through the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

Six organisations were successful in bids for shares of the funding to tackle short-term disruption to their services due to the pandemic, help support essential costs of their current activities, such as moving to remote working, and to meet increased demand for their services due to Covid-19.

Voice for Victims and Witnesses, Rise, Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Alliance, Eve, Northamptonshire Rape Crisis and ASSIST Trauma Care will also receive some of the £249,000 allocated by the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Mold said: “This is a welcome boost for organisations providing vital services so that they can remain open, and offer additional support if needed, during these unprecedented times we are living in.

“Support for victims is at the heart of my Police and Crime plan for Northamptonshire and I want to ensure this extra funding is shared in Northamptonshire as quickly as possible so that organisations can continue to give help to the vulnerable people who need it most.”

The Ministry of Justice made available up to £63,000 for sexual violence services and a further £63,000 for organisations providing domestic abuse services. The funding also allowed the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to bid for a further £126,000 to support or extend domestic and sexual abuse services that he already provides or commissions. Organisations that received funding are:

Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence

Voice for Victims and Witnesses was awarded £64,975 to purchase equipment so that emotional and practical support can be provided online, and to increase the ways in which victims can access support, to undertake a campaign raising awareness on child on parent violence and signposting to relevant support. To provide additional training to staff in relation to domestic abuse and sexual violence with nationally accredited programmes and to undertake an educational and support programme aimed at the risks facing children and young people online in respect of sexual offences.

Domestic Abuse

Rise was awarded £60,374.00 for activity that focuses on working with victims of Domestic Abuse where children are violent in the family home. This will involve working with both parents and children and young people through a programme and one-to-one work.

Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Alliance was awarded £31,890 to go towards increasing capacity to provide outreach support for children who have experienced Domestic Abuse, this will include programme provision and targeted 1:1 work across the county.

Eve was awarded £31,092 to increase capacity to support adult victims of Domestic Abuse and their children/young people, involving programmes and 1:1 activity.

Sexual Violence

Northamptonshire Rape Crisis was awarded £25,000 to increase Independent Sexual Violence Advisor capacity so that more victims can receive support and providing additional PPE equipment where face to face contact is necessary.

ASSIST Trauma Care was awarded £35,880 to provide therapeutic support for victims of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence through delivery of a step by step programme and individual support sessions.