Domestic Abuse Policy
1 Introduction
Every year, almost two million people in the UK experience domestic abuse (SafeLives 2023). Domestic abuse is widespread in Gateshead with a significantly higher number of incidents and crimes reported in our area than the national average.
Domestic abuse can have a negative impact on victims' and survivors' health with the potential to cause further cycles of abuse. In extreme cases it can result in death by homicide or suicide.
Home is often the most dangerous place for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and housing is often a barrier for people leaving the abuse. As highlighted in the domestic abuse needs assessment, domestic abuse has been the biggest cause of homelessness in Gateshead over the last three years.
We want to make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives. Our Corporate Plan 2025-30 outlines the priority areas for the council. The plan will guide the work of the Gateshead Council and set out our response to what we believe will deliver good outcomes for the people of Gateshead.
The Community Safety Board is required to produce a Partnership Plan identifying the areas that we intend to improve. Domestic abuse has been identified as one of the priorities. We believe that everybody in Gateshead, both adults and children, should be able to live free from violence, abuse and oppression, especially in their own homes.
Gateshead's Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025 to 2028 focuses on moving towards a prevention model of domestic abuse, placing an added emphasis on early intervention, preventing harm to children and young people, and tackling perpetrators to prevent further harm to victims and survivors of domestic abuse. To achieve the aims of the strategy, the Domestic Abuse Partnership is working towards to domestic abuse. All agencies across the Domestic Abuse Partnership must work effectively within their agency and with all other agencies, to secure the safety of the survivor and their children and hold perpetrators to account.
Housing providers and local authorities play a vital role. They are equipped to spot domestic abuse early and provide an effective response to both victims and survivors and perpetrators, as part of the wider Coordinated Community Response to domestic abuse.
Gateshead Council has zero tolerance for violence and abuse and tackling domestic abuse is a corporate priority. This policy will set out how the Housing department will tackle domestic abuse, support victims and survivors and hold perpetrators to account. Identifying domestic abuse early and providing an effective response to victims and survivors and perpetrators will support us to prevent homelessness and improve the safety of and wellbeing of our residents.