More than £1m funding granted to help prevent domestic abuse in Greater Manchester

• Home Office awards £1,082,129 towards programmes aimed at preventing domestic abuse across Greater Manchester
• Funding awarded to charity TLC: Talk, Listen, Change for the delivery of a range of programmes focusing on domestic abuse perpetrators
• Programmes will work with young people, men in same sex relationships and people who have English as a second language

More than £1m has been awarded to Greater Manchester to help stop domestic abuse from happening through preventative work with perpetrators.

A total of £1,082,129 is being provided by the Home Office to support the roll out and expansion of existing programmes into Manchester, Salford, Wigan and Stockport. The Deputy Mayor is also investing £80,000, along with match funding from the four local authority areas.

TLC: Talk, Listen, Change will deliver a series of programmes focusing on interventions which address the behaviour of domestic abuse perpetrators.

Some of the programmes include one-to-one work with female perpetrators in heterosexual or same sex relationships, and group work with heterosexual men. TLC: Talk, Listen, Change will also be working individually with gay and bisexual men, as well as men and women who have English as a second language.

In addition, the charity will help prevent domestic abuse involving young people through a programme focusing on adolescents in relationships, and another programme on preventing child on parent abuse.

Funding has also been allocated to rollout the national Drive programme in Manchester and Salford, which works with high-harm, high-risk, and serial perpetrators. 

Bev Hughes, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said: “If we are to eradicate domestic violence and prevent it being repeated, it is essential that, alongside enforcement, we also work with perpetrators to change their behaviour. Working with local authorities, this funding boost will enable TLC: Talk, Listen, Change to extend their perpetrator programmes to men in same sex relationships, people who don’t speak English as a first language, and young people. This means we can reach more families and help to tackle the damage caused by domestic violence.

“We know for some people lockdown has caused extra strain, potentially trapping people at home with their abusers, cut off from existing support networks. This is why it is crucial now more than ever that preventative work is undertaken to help perpetrators and support victims and survivors.”

Michelle Hill, Chief Executive Officer of TLC: Talk, Listen, Change said: “We are delighted to have received the Home Office funding which will expand our existing domestic abuse prevention work and enable us to work with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and partners in Manchester, Salford, Stockport and Wigan Councils to increase our reach with new services.

“For over 10 years we have worked to deliver behaviour change programmes for perpetrators which address the cause of domestic abuse and prioritise the safety of victims, survivors and children. We have always envisioned a future that developed this work further and thanks to this funding, not only will existing services expand, but for the first time we will be able to work with people who do not have English as a first language and men in same-sex relationships.

“It also provides the opportunity to work in an innovative way with young people who have experienced domestic abuse, which will set them up for a safer and healthier future. Now, more than ever, we believe this work is absolutely vital.”

The funding will pay for the following programmes:

• Children and young people - The Respect Young People’s Programme for child to parent abuse and a programme for adolescent perpetrators
• Female perpetrators - one-to-one programme delivery for female perpetrators in heterosexual or same sex relationships
• Male perpetrators – one-to-one programme for gay and bisexual men and Bridging to Change group behaviour change programme for male perpetrators in heterosexual relationships

Perpetrators who speak English as a second language - Respect one-to-one programme for perpetrators (male or female) who speak English as a second language

Article Published: 18/11/2020 09:08 AM