Doncaster's domestic violence death toll revealed

The figures were among statistics published yesterday by officials who are launching a scheme to try to curb violence in households across the borough.

They are published to show the extent of the problem in the borough, as Doncaster Children’s Services Trust, Doncaster Council and other agencies from the health, housing, education, community and voluntary sectors revealed they have joined forces to try to support the thousands of people affected by domestic abuse in Doncaster every year with a new website.

Among figures published were statistics which stated that three women and one man died in Doncaster through ‘domestic homicide’ between April 2011 and April 2014.

They also revealed:

* In the 18-month period from April 2014 to October 2015, 1,080 high risk domestic abuse cases were reviewed by Doncaster’s Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference.

* Throughout this period, 1,311 children and young people were living in Doncaster homes with high risk domestic abuse.

* Nearly 13,000 domestic abuse incidents were reported to South Yorkshire Police.

* Nationally, one in four women experience domestic abuse during their lifetimes and between six and 10 per cent of women and five per cent of men suffer domestic abuse in a given year.

The new website has been launched by the Safer Stronger Doncaster partnership, in a five year strategy to tackle domestic abuse.

The new portal, www.doncasterdomesticabuse.co.uk, has been funded by Growing Futures – a £3.1m project led by the trust to reduce domestic abuse and its effects on Doncaster’s children.

Paul Moffat, the children’s trust’s chief executive, said: “At the trust, our priority is to help children and young people stay safe, well and reach their full potential.”

“To achieve this, we want to ensure anyone experiencing domestic abuse, whether being abused, being the abuser or witnessing abuse, has access to the support they need, to recover or address their behaviour.

“This means working in partnership with all other agencies in Doncaster who work with families, towards a common goal – a vision for a Doncaster where domestic abuse is recognised as unacceptable, and children and adults life safe lives, free from abuse.”

Karen Johnson, Head of Community Safety at Doncaster Council, said: “This is the central place for all information about domestic abuse in Doncaster, and a culmination of the work of many agencies, organisations and individuals working together to end abusive behaviours that devastate too many lives.”

The new website contains information about different types of domestic abuse; access to services and support for victims, perpetrators and witnesses; and sections for under 18s.

It also contains information for professionals, including training programmes and a help and advice for teachers and all professionals working with children and young people.

Anyone concerned about domestic abuse in Doncaster is encouraged to call the Doncaster Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 4701 505.

A five year Doncaster Domestic Abuse strategy will be published in December 2016.

Other agencies in the partnership include South Yorkshire Police, St Leger Homes, RDASH, Changing Lives, Foundations, Doncaster College.

Doncaster Council says its domestic abuse services work closely with partner agencies such as the police, probation and health services, and commissions specialist support services, which together with other voluntary agencies, provide a coordinated community response to domestic violence and abuse.

A spokesman said: “You can talk to any of these services about your situation. You will be listened to, and together we’ll work to keep you and your children safe.”