Presentation: Community conversation on Women’s Safety and information on the Domestic Abuse Strategy consultation.
Minutes:
Nikki Morris, Community Safety Officer, explained that there were two community conversations being launched. One was around the women’s safety charter and women’s safety generally in the borough. This was the first step in a four-year programme to make the borough safer for women.
The second was a community conversation around domestic abuse. Women experienced on average about 35 incidents of domestic abuse before reporting it to the police. One incident of domestic abuse was reported to the police every minute in the UK. On average about two women per week were killed by a current or former male partner.
Domestic abuse could also be suffered by males, siblings and parents by children, although the majority was inflicted on women and girls by their partners or ex-partners. In Southwark, as part of the programme, there would be outreach events and also online discussions. Nikki explained that there would be community briefings at community councils and to local focus groups.
People were encouraged to take part in the consultation. It was about understanding people’s life experiences so that the services provided could be shaped over the next four years. For more information, contact: nicola.morris@southwark.gov.uk or telephone 020 7525 3552.