Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse REPORT and RECOMMENDATIONS BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL Bristol One City – Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse Contents
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Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL Bristol One City – Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse Contents Introduction from Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol . 4 Preface by Cllr Asher Craig and Cllr Helen Godwin – Commission Co-Chairs . 5 Our Principles: an overview . 6 Domestic abuse and sexual violence – The facts . 8 Our Principles “We will start with you, and what’s right for you” . 9 “If you have children, we will work with you to support you” . 10 “ It is your home . if you want the person who is hurting, scaring, or controlling you to be told to leave and not return, we will take action” . .11 “ If staying in your home isn’t right for you, or you need a safe home to go to, we will do everything we can to make that happen ”. 12 “ There are a range of support services available . There will always be a person available to talk to you and help.” . 14 “In every corner of our city, we will work to eliminate sexual violence and abuse” . 15 “Domestic abuse and sexual violence are everybody’s business” . 16 Prevention . 16 Building Awareness . 16 Businesses and Employers . 17 Night-time Economy . 17 Legal Representation . 18 Changing Behaviour . 19 Appendix Our Principles . 20 Recommendations from the Mayoral Commission on Domestic abuse . 20 2 Bristol One City – Report and Recommendations With thanks The Commission co-chairs would like to extend their thanks to those who contributed to the workshop sessions which informed and influenced this report. Organisations represented in the commission workshops include: Avon and Somerset Police, Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, Beloved, BGSW Community Rehabilitation Company, Bristol City Council, Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service, Bristol Women’s Commission, Bristol Women’s Voice, Community Access Support Service – Bristol, Family Nurse Partnership – Sirona Care and Health, Galop, IRIS, Kinergy, National Probation Service, Nelson Trust, Next Link Housing, North Bristol NHS Trust, Office of Thangam Debbonaire MP, One25, REPROVIDE, SARSAS – Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Assault Support, Shelter, Southmead Project, Splitz Support Service, University of Bristol, Bristol Medical School (Population Health Sciences), University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Victims of Image Crime and Womankind Bristol. Bristol Gloucestershire Somerset & Wiltshire Part of KSS CRC PROBATION 3 Bristol One City – Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse The Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse Introduction from Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol Domestic abuse and sexual violence affect the lives of too many people in our city. Most victims and survivors are women, but We need the whole city to unite and feel these are crimes which threaten people in confident in taking action when they witness all walks of life and from all backgrounds. or when someone discloses, they are Domestic abuse threatens people’s physical, experiencing abuse. We need businesses, mental and emotional health. It can have community organisations, public services, lifelong consequences for children growing support services, faith groups, neighbours, up witnessing it in their home. In the most friends and families to join us in making it devastating cases, it kills. clear that Bristol is a Zero Tolerance City for We want to end it. domestic abuse and sexual violence. In our One City Plan, we set out a clear I am grateful to all those who shared their goal for Bristol: that by 2050 “Bristol will time, their experiences, and their ideas during be a city free from domestic abuse and the course of the commission’s work – and gender inequality.” to Cllr Asher Craig and Cllr Helen Godwin who co-chaired the commission. I also Much has been written about the challenges extend my thanks to Ann James, Claire Covid-19 have posed for supporting those Bloor, Christina Gray, Sue Moss, Police and experiencing – or at risk of experiencing – Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens and domestic abuse. It has created conditions for Carol Metters for chairing the commission’s incidents of abuse to increase, with people workshops. feeling trapped and making it difficult for support services to reach those who need Their collective expertise has resulted in help. But for us, it was also a call to action: a a report which sets out the principles and moment to harness the city’s expertise and recommendations that will underpin our energy and ensure that those experiencing response to domestic abuse and sexual abuse know it is unacceptable and that help violence and ensure that Bristol is a city is always available. where everybody can feel safe and thrive. If we are to give survivors of abuse the support they deserve, we need tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence to be everybody’s business. Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol 4 Bristol One City – Report and Recommendations Preface by Cllr Asher Craig and Cllr Helen Godwin – Commission Co-Chairs In March 2020, as the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic was being felt across the world, the UK was plunged into lockdown and for the first time in living memory people were ordered to ‘stay at home’. Whilst this was an essential message for Through a series of virtual workshops, the public health of the nation, it was also we engaged with more than 80 people, terrifying for the many people for whom including those with lived experience. We home is not a safe place. encouraged our commissioners to be Domestic abuse and sexual violence are innovative, ambitious, and collaborative. prevalent in Bristol. Across our city there Our report includes 35 recommendations are people living in fear of the people that the city will take forward. Moving us they share their homes with. Lockdown towards becoming a safer, kinder place was a dangerous development for where victims and survivors of domestic many Bristolians. violence and abuse feel supported, safe, Here in Bristol we have a proud record of and empowered to move forward and build working in partnership and our approach to new lives. supporting survivors of domestic abuse is We would like to thank all our no different. In Spring 2020 we were able commissioners and the Mayor of to convene leaders from the police, health Bristol’s office for their time, support, and services, housing and the all-important commitment. voluntary and support services sector to This report is dedicated to all the victim- come together and challenge ourselves to survivors of domestic and sexual violence make significant progress in the prevention and abuse in Bristol. of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and the support we provide. By Summer 2020, with the support of Mayor We see you. Rees, we launched the Mayoral Commission We hear you. on Domestic Abuse. You are not alone. Our aims are to ensure that we have a clear pathway for people who are affected by domestic abuse to follow, to reinforce the message that You Are Not Alone and that your city will support you, and finally, to commit as a city to ending domestic and sexual violence and abuse. Cllr Asher Craig Cllr Helen Godwin 5 Bristol One City – Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse Our Principles: an overview L We will start with you and what’s right L If staying in your home isn’t be right for for you. you, or you need a safe home to go to, we will do everything we can to help you L There are a range of support services available and ways in which we can build to make that happen . Your physical and safety with you . There will always be a psychological safety are important to us . person available to talk to you and help . L In every corner of our city, we will work to eliminate sexual violence and abuse, L If you have children, we will work with you to support you, to help you care for and we will support survivors to feel safe, your children and keep them safe . to recover, and to thrive . L Domestic abuse and sexual violence are L It’s your home and we want you to be able to stay in your home, which means everybody’s business – we all have a role if you want the person who is hurting, to play in making sure Bristol is a zero- scaring or controlling you to be told to tolerance city where domestic abuse and leave and not return, we will take action sexual violence are not tolerated, and so that you can be safe . victims and survivors are supported . 66 Bristol One City – Report and Recommendations A message for anyone experiencing domestic or sexual abuse or violence: Domestic abuse and sexual violence are never acceptable. If you, or somebody you know is a victim, please report it. If you feel that you or your family are in immediate danger – call 999 (if it is not safe to speak, call 999 and press ’55’ – this will alert the phone operator that you are in need of assistance but cannot talk). You can also report abuse via the Avon and Somerset Police website. L The National Domestic Abuse helpline is If you are reading this report, and you are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at scaring, controlling, or hurting your partner or 0808 2000 247 your family, help is available. You can contact the Respect Phoneline on 0808 8024040. L Next Link provide support services locally for women experiencing domestic or The REPROVIDE study is a local research sexual abuse, and can be contacted on trial which works with men who are worried 0800 470 0280, or via their website: about their behaviour in relationships with www .nextlinkhousing .co .uk women, they can be contacted at reprovide-men@bristol .ac .uk.