Domestic Violence Support In Kent

The Kent Criminal Justice Board is bringing groups together in the county to tackle the problem

Kent Police have told Heart they have 55 new cases reported to them every day.

Domestic violence also:

  • Accounts for 20 per cent of all violent crime
  • At 70 per cent, has the highest repeat victimisation of any crime
  • Where victims and perpetrators of DV have children it's estimated that 40 per cent of these have lived with DV all their lives.

This week (November 22 to 28) has been unofficially dubbed 'domestic abuse awareness week' because of the number of events taking place throughout Kent and beyond to tie in with the United Nations designated International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - also known as White Ribbon Day - on Thursday (November 25).

Also being unveiled this week is a new three-year multi-agency strategy from the Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Strategy Group whose membership includes representatives from public sector agencies, the charity sector, volunteer and campaign groups working within the domestic abuse and violence arena.

The aim of the KCJB is, through a multi-agency approach, to provide victims of and witnesses to domestic abuse with a safe, supportive and effective criminal justice system that brings perpetrators to justice, protects the public and reduces re-offending.

Deputy Chief Constable of Kent, Adrian Leppard, who chairs the KCJB, said: "Domestic violence is a major priority for criminal justice agencies and in Kent we can point to some innovative schemes which aim to change attitudes, protect victims and reduce re-offending.

"The new strategy emphasises the need for multi-agency working and for us all to be focused on key ambitions. It is particularly important in these times of tight budgets that we pool our limited resources and work together to target them in a way that makes a real difference to vulnerable people's lives."

 

Help and Advice:

  • National Domestic Violence Helpline

      Telephone (24hrs): 0808 2000 247

  • Kent Police - Police Domestic Violence Officers

      Telephone: 01622 690690 for general enquiry; ring 999 in an emergency. Email: enquiries@kent.pnn.police.uk

  • Refuge: 0808 2000 247

 

  • Rising Sun Domestic Violence Project (Canterbury)

      Telephone: 01227 452852

  • Dove Project (refuge space in the south east) (24 hour)

      Telephone: 01702 300006

  • Oasis (Thanet), via the Dove Project

      Telephone: 01702 300006

  • Rights of Women

      Sexual violence legal advice
      Telephone: 020 7251 8887

  • Men's Advice Line

      Telephone: 0808 801 0327 (can leave a message when helpline closed) Email: info@mensadviceline.org

  • Apna Ghar:

      Helpline specifically for Asian women.  Languages offered are: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Sylheti, Tamil, Urdu.
      Telephone: 0845 451 2547

  • Broken Rainbow

      Broken Rainbow, LGBT Violence Service (UK)
      Provides services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual people experiencing domestic violence.
      Telephone: 0300 999 5428

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