Supermarkets come to aid of abuse victims

SUSPECTED domestic abuse killings have almost trebled during the coronavirus lockdown, as it was revealed supermarkets could soon enable victims to call for help by pressing a red button when doing their online shopping.

Dame Vera Baird, the victims’ commissioner, revealed data suggesting there have been 16 domestic abuse killings in the past three weeks, when in previous years there had been two a week. “That looks to me like five a week, that’s the size of the crisis,” she said.

It is understood the Home Office and supermarkets are in talks over plans for a scheme where victims of abuse would have the online button which they could use to contact support agencies while ordering their shopping or takeaways from firms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat.

She told MPS on the Home Affairs committee it would enable victims whose abusive partners were now with them around the clock to look as though they were ordering their groceries, while at the same time making online contact with a domestic abuse helpline without raising suspicions at home.

The Home Office and supermarkets are also understood to be considering setting up a French-style system where staff and pharmacies would be trained to be able to respond to a plea for help from a victim of domestic abuse.

Staff would know to respond to a code word spoken by the victim like “ask Ann” [Action Needed Now]

Victims could call for help by pressing a red button when shopping online

under the scheme which would be advertised and promoted in stores and online through abuse charities, councils, police and other agencies.

The staff could respond by showing the victims a card asking: “Do you want to contact the police? Do you need to get to a refuge?” or take them to a designated safe area in the store.

Such a scheme has been introduced during France’s lockdown funded by President Macron’s government.