MORE than £1.7million is being invested to transform support for victims of domestic abuse in Tameside.
The funding comes as part of a five-year Domestic Abuse Strategy launched by Tameside Council and Tameside Domestic Abuse Partnership Board and developed in partnership with local victim-survivors of domestic abuse and professionals.
The strategy aims to transform the local response to domestic abuse by making domestic abuse everybody’s business, creating safe spaces for disclosures, meeting the needs of victims through local services, helping victim-survivors stay safe at home, better outcomes for children impacted by domestic abuse, identifying problem behaviours early, and holding perpetrators accountable.
The funding includes additional resource for Bridges, Tameside’s domestic abuse service, including a pilot of a specialist domestic abuse worker in Tameside Hospital’s Accident and Emergency unit.
There will also be additional training for frontline staff to help them identify domestic abuse, support disclosures from victims and respond effectively.
The investment includes provision of a three-tiered approach to meet the national Domestic Abuse Act 2021 local authority duty to provide support in safe accommodation for victim-survivors of domestic abuse and their children.
As part of the strategy, the council recently relaunched the Greater Manchester Sitting Right With You domestic abuse awareness campaign by taking its iconic yellow sofa to recognisable Tameside landmarks.
The aim is to highlight that individuals, children and families are affected by domestic abuse and that support is available.
It also aims to support the strategy’s priority of making domestic abuse everyone’s businesses in Tameside, so people can be aware of abusive behaviours and warning signs to help prevent abuse before it happens.
Tameside Council Executive Member Cllr Eleanor Wills, who is responsible for population health, said: “I have been a victim of domestic abuse and have been open about my experience of domestic abuse and the negative impacts it had on my life.
“It’s important we proactively work with local communities and organisations to identify warning signs and prevent abuse before it happens as well as ensuring we respond effectively to cases presented to us.”
• For information on the support available see www.tameside.gov.uk/domesticabuse or you can call Bridges 24 hour helpline on 0800 328 0967. In an emergency, you should always call 999.