Domestic abuse victims help to shape policies to tackle problem
Women who have suffered from domestic abuse have been helping city leaders tackle the problem – though chiefs admit some of their accounts have been ‘hard to hear’.
It came as Sunderland City Council Cabinet approved the area’s draft Domestic Abuse SafeAccommodationandSupport Services Strategy 20212024.
To help form the plans, council chiefs have spoke to survivors of domestic abuse and the Sunderland Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls Executive Board, who helped develop a needs assessment.
The board was recently appointed by the Cabinet to supportthecounciltofulfilitsduty undertheDomesticAbuseAct 2021 and to address the wider violence against women and girls agenda.
Councillor Kelly Chequer, cabinet member for Healthy City, who presented the report, said stories from victims have been “hard to hear”, but necessaryinformingasupport strategy.
She said: “I would rather be sat here not bringing this report, not having the need to.
“Thestoriesofsurvivorsare some of the reasons that we’re here doing what we’re doing today.
“The engagement through theconsultationhasbeenquite hard to hear at times from victim survivors, but also absolutely needed to inform the
strategy moving forward.”
Cllr Linda Williams, cabinet member for Vibrant City,
commented it is an “extremely complex area” which has a huge impact on women and children affected.
She said: “Quite often by the time the woman gets to the point of being able to leave, she’s absolutely shattered into pieces,andit’sreallydifficultto pick those pieces up.”
Cllr Graeme Miller, City Council leader, stressed domestic abuse in an area which theymustcontinuetofocuson and prioritise.
He said: “The fact that we have a safe accommodation and support service coming forward shows our commitment to working to deal with domestic abuse.
“It’s complex and we must invest here, and I’m delighted thatwe’vegotsuchagoodstrategy coming forward that enables us to engage.”
Council chiefs will now engage with stakeholders on the draftstrategytorefineit,ahead of the final document coming before Cabinet in December this year.