We’re supporting White Ribbon Day today to end violence against women and girls and raise awareness of domestic abuse.
The day falls in the same week as the start of the FIFA men’s World Cup, with the charity highlighting how men and boys can play their part to achieve gender equality.
Domestic abuse affects the lives of thousands of people every year and can take the form of physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and / or financial abuse.
Along with a general rise in reported cases nationally, domestic abuse crimes in Hart accounted for 17% of total crime in 2021/22 with the number of reports to police increasing by 10% when compared to the previous year.
Hart figures for 2021/22 also show that ‘violence against the person’ accounted for 82% of domestic abuse crime. The most common offence types were common assault and battery (29%), actual bodily harm (21%) and sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxiety (10%).
During the year ending September 2021, 139 victims of domestic abuse in Hart were referred to victim support.
Kirsty Jenkins, Executive Director of Community Services at Hart District Council, said: “We know that, sadly, the number of domestic abuse case increased during the pandemic at the same time that there were fewer opportunities to get support. We’re committed to helping the victims of violence in Hart which is why White Ribbon Day is so important – it raises awareness of the issues and the support available.”
Domestic abuse support
Clare’s Law: the domestic violence disclosure scheme designed to provide victims with information that may protect them from an abusive situation before it ends in tragedy. The scheme allows the Police to disclose information about a partner’s previous history of domestic violence or violent acts.
Ask for ANI: if you are experiencing domestic abuse and need immediate help, ask for ‘ANI’ in a participating pharmacy. ‘ANI’ stands for Action Needed Immediately. If a pharmacy has the ‘Ask for ANI’ logo on display, it means they’re ready to help. They will offer you a private space, provide a phone and ask if you need support from the police or other domestic abuse support services.
Hampshire Domestic Abuse Advice Line: 0330 0165112
Monday – Thursday, 9.30am – 5.30pm
Friday, 9.30am – 5pm
Virtual Drop-in Service: for victims of domestic abuse who cannot access a telephone. Please contact a worker via Facebook Messenger
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Southerndas/
Monday – Friday, 9:30am to 11:30am, 3pm to 5pm, 6pm to 8pm
Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Men’s advice line: 0808 801 0327
25 November 2022