Stroud: Raising Awareness Of Domestic Abuse

21 November 2013, 15:18 | Updated: 21 November 2013, 15:20

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A support group has told Heart they have seen a rise in domestic violence cases where victims are being abused by their children.

Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service have supported nearly 2,000 people in the last year and says the number of male victims coming forward has risen too.

GDASS has teamed up with Stroud District Council and Gloucestershire Police for a number of events across the county as part of Domestic Abuse Awareness Week.

Jude Marshall of GDASS said:

''Nationally, two women a week are killed either by their current or ex-partner and one in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. It is estimated that 31% of women and 18% of men will have experienced domestic abuse from the age of 16 and women are much more likely than men to be the victim of multiple incidents of abuse.''

Locally, over the past year, GDASS has provided support to 1,879 people in Gloucestershire of which 97% were women and 3% men. Currently the charity is supporting 313 victims across Gloucestershire, 36 of whom are resident in the Stroud district.

Phil Sullivan, head of community safety for Stroud District Council, said: ''Over the week, through the media and by putting on events, we want to raise awareness of the issues and encourage anyone who may be affected to get help. Many instances of domestic abuse go unreported so we want people to know that they can turn to us for help.''

Over the week Stroud District Council, GDASS and Gloucestershire Police will be providing information at the following times and locations:

9am-12pm Monday 25th November
Council offices, Ebley Mill, Stroud

1.30pm-3pm Monday 25th November
Waitrose, Stroud

9am-12pm Wednesday 27th November
Subscription Rooms, Stroud

12pm-2pm Thursday 28th November
Council offices, Ebley Mill, Stroud

11am – 2pm Thursday 28th November
Merrywalks Shopping Centre, Stroud

9am-12pm Friday 29th November
Brunel Mall, Stroud

1:30pm-3pm Friday 29th November
Co-op, Wotton under Edge


Posters and leaflets will also be handed out by police community support officers and the council’s neighbourhood wardens.

Contact GDASS for practical local support.

Call the police (999 in an emergency or 101 for a non-emergency situation)

Contact any of the national support help lines:

National Domestic Violence Helpline (0808 2000 247)
National Centre for Domestic Abuse (0844 8044 999)
Men's Advice Line (0808 801 0327)