Deputy Mayor welcomes delegates to inaugural domestic abuse conference in Manchester

DELEGATES came together in Greater Manchester today to attend an inaugural learning event hosted by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs.

The event brought together those working to tackle domestic abuse, including specialist sector organisations and statutory agencies.

It comes as Greater Manchester agencies – led by Greater Manchester Police – mark a domestic abuse ‘week of action’, which includes raising awareness of support services and a focus on police enforcement activities.

Event attendees also heard from victims and survivors, before discussing how to better foster partnerships across services in order to improve future responses to tackling domestic abuse.

Speaking about the event, Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said:

“I was delighted to see the first ‘Festival of Practice’ hosted by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner be held in our city-region. It was great to see so many expert and dedicated people in the same room who are committed to improving the response to domestic abuse. 

“Tackling domestic abuse and gender-based violence is not something that can be done in isolation. It requires partnership working and us coming together to share learning and best practice. 

“That is why our approach to tackling gender-based violence in Greater Manchester is a whole-systems one, bringing together services across our city-region to improve the lives and safety of all women and girls. At the heart of our approach is the importance we attach to listening to and learning from the voices of these with lived experience of domestic abuse, including embedding them in our governance structures to help shape our professional practice and design our support services. 

“I want to pay tribute to all these brave survivors, who in sharing their experiences with us enable us to develop better solutions and support to help change the story for those who come after them.”

Greater Manchester is committed to tackling all forms of gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, to help build a safer city-region for all women and girls. The Gender-Based Violence Strategy set out the aims and work that will be delivered over a 10-year period. 

Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales said: 

“Whether we are frontline professionals, commissioners or decision-makers, we all have a key role to tackle domestic abuse which is why I am bringing so many people together in Manchester over the next two days to drive change by working in collaboration and partnership. At the heart of the work that we do are real people whose lives are blighted by domestic abuse and they must be at the centre of our solutions.”

A key part of implementing the Gender-Based Violence Strategy is by bringing together partners and services across the city-region, including local authorities, VCSE sector groups, policing, criminal justice and health. Work so far has focussed on addressing the needs of different communities within Greater Manchester, including those with no recourse to public funds, disabled people and older people. 

Work here has secured extra funding totalling more than £7.9million for organisations to continue, and expand, delivering vital services. This includes:

• Over £230,000 support for six children & young persons’ Independent Domestic Violence Advisors, a specialist stalking and harassment Independent Domestic Violence Advisor, and to uplift the LGBT Foundation Independent Domestic Violence Advisor offer.
• Over £360,000 to support domestic abuse services predominantly within the voluntary and community sector including those within specialist by-and-for organisations.
• Just under £350,000 to organisations to assist them supporting victims of domestic abuse during the cost-of-living crisis.
• Nearly £7,000,000 secured from Home Office funding to support work to change the behaviour of domestic abuse perpetrators.

Also important to delivering the Gender-Based Violence Strategy is listening to the voices of lived experience. One way this will be done will be through creating a panel of lived experience, to ensure continual engagement. The panel is expected to be up and running by the end of Spring 2023.

• Greater Manchester’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy was published in September 2021. It can be read on GMCA’s website: Gender Based Violence Strategy (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)
• The strategy’s associated Delivery Plan, which sets out the actions that will deliver its overarching aims, can also be read on the GMCA’s website: Gender-Based Violence Strategy Delivery Plan 2022/23 (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)

Article Published: 28/03/2023 17:01 PM