Have your say on domestic abuse plan

The Safer Hartlepool Partnership is seeking local people’s views on its draft Hartlepool Domestic Abuse Strategy 2016-2019.

People have until the end of August 2016 to air their views and are also being encouraged to complete a questionnaire.

It comes as a study found one in four women will experience domestic abuse during their lifetime, domestic abuse has the highest rate of repeat victimisation of any crime type and one in seven children under the age of 16 will have lived with domestic violence at some point in their childhood.

The draft strategy states: “Domestic abuse has a devastating effect on victims, their children, families and the wider community. It is characterised by patterns of coercive, controlling or threatening behaviour, and can involve physical, psychological, financial, emotional and sexual abuse.

“By producing this updated Strategy, the Safer Hartlepool Partnership aims to send out a clear message that domestic abuse will not be tolerated, and that we will work together to do all that we can over the next three years to raise awareness, prevent abuse, protect and support victims, and challenge perpetrators.”

Counc Christopher Akers-Belcher, chair of the Safer Hartlepool Partnership and leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “Domestic abuse is a top priority for the Safer Hartlepool Partnership. I hope that people will take the opportunity to read the draft strategy and let us have their views by completing the questionnaire. To view the strategy visit: www.saferhartlepool.co.uk. To complete the survey visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HBC2016-DomesticAbuseStrategy