Government funds projects to target domestic abusers and stalkers

The Home Office announced new intervention measures targeting domestic abusers and stalkers across England and Wales on 11 May, which includes the allocation of £39 million across 50 projects to be rolled out over the next two years.  

The projects will support police forces in England and Wales identify and combat domestic abuse and stalking behaviour, an example of which involves several forces, including Lancashire, Avon and Somerset and the Metropolitan Police Service, continuing the roll out of the Drive Project, which targets the most serious offenders to prevent them from abusing again, working with partner agencies such as social services to challenge perpetrators to change their abusive behaviour. According to the Home Office, analysis of the Drive Project, which has been?running for seven years, has shown an 82 percent reduction in physical abuse and 75 percent reduction in harassment and stalking.

The government’s press release includes a detailed list of all the projects to receive funding, which includes the following: behaviour?change interventions in Kent, including healthy relationships and compulsive obsessive behaviour interventions, which aim to support 184 perpetrators a year, supported by up to £1,638,597 in funding; the ‘stalking intervention’ project in Essex which seeks to change behaviour and reduce risk for victims and survivors of stalking, which will be supported by up to £1,687,170 of funding; and Cheshire Police are?providing interventions for adult perpetrators and young people displaying harmful behaviours to facilitate behaviour change within a whole family setting.

Commenting on the measures, Safeguarding Minister, Sarah Dines, said: “Domestic abuse and stalking are vile crimes which cause victims to feel terror in their own homes and communities, where they should feel their safest. It is unacceptable and this government is determined to protect people from this horrific abuse. We know that intervention schemes like these are a crucial means of protecting victims, which is why we are investing millions in helping police identify abusive behaviour and stop it from escalating or happening again.”