Not Alone in Sutton - Council launches campaign to help victims of domestic abuse

‘Not Alone in Sutton’ aims to raise awareness of the help available to victims of domestic abuse via a new website http://notaloneinsutton.org.uk.

In Sutton, domestic violence accounted for 38 per cent of all incidents of violence with injury  (467 out of 1,242) in 2017.

Despite the enormity of these figures, the number of people experiencing domestic abuse is thought to be much higher as it is often a hidden crime that goes unreported.

Council leader Ruth Dombey said: “We are launching this campaign today because tackling domestic abuse in all its forms is a priority, to ensure Sutton is a safer place for everyone.

“Together with our partner organisations, we aim to significantly reduce levels of domestic abuse in Sutton in the long term.

“I very much hope this campaign encourages a wider discussion on how we all need to tackle domestic abuse, as it’s an issue which is both widespread and devastating.”

Domestic abuse affects all sections of society and all age groups.

Before launching its domestic abuse campaign, Sutton Council surveyed 270 Sutton residents, which revealed that more than half would not know where to go if they needed help. A similar number would be reluctant to reach out through fear of making things worse.

Sutton Council’s lead councillor for domestic abuse and former Mayor, Councillor Jean Crossby is a survivor of abuse. She said: “Domestic abuse today is affecting everyone. It can be you, a parent, your best friend, your siblings, your children or your grandchildren.  

“It’s all age groups. The youngest victim I have known of is 16. The oldest victim was 85. Can you imagine how long that victim was abused?

“I urge anyone who is affected by this to get help. We’ve got men, women and young people dying of domestic abuse and we all need to do more.”

More information is available at a dedicated website notaloneinsutton.org.uk, for women, men, children and young people, older people, people with disabilities, LGBT+ and also perpetrators.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or know someone who is, help is available. You can use the contacts below. Local domestic abuse contacts in Sutton and south London are in bold:

• Victim Support

(London Victim Assessment and Referral Service)

Call 0808 168 9291 free (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 9am–5pm)

 

• Sutton Domestic Violence One Stop Shop

Wednesdays, 9.30am–11.30am

Sutton Baptist Church, 21 Cheam Road, Sutton, SM1 1SN

Drop in or make an appointment through Victim Support on 020 7801 1777

 

• Police

Call 999 if you are in immediate danger, 101 at all other times.

 

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EDITORS’ NOTES:

• Over three years £1.25 million is being invested to improve services relating to domestic abuse, including early intervention and prevention initiatives, such as working with schools.

• Not Alone in Sutton is part of Sutton Council’s Domestic Abuse Transformation Programme.

• The Domestic Abuse Transformation Programme is a partnership involving Epsom and St Helier hospitals, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police Service, Primary and Secondary School Heads, Community Action Sutton (on behalf of the voluntary sector), Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group, Sutton Council and Sutton Housing Partnership.

• Tackling domestic abuse in all its forms is a  priority of The Sutton Plan www.thesuttonplan.org to ensure Sutton is a safer place for everyone.

• Around 1.9 million people in England and Wales, aged between 16 and 59 years old, experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2017. That’s about 6% of people within that age range.

• In the same period, domestic abuse-related crimes recorded by the police accounted for nearly a third of violent crimes (32%) and 11% of crimes in general. Between April 2013 and March 2016, 454 people were killed in domestic homicides (approximately three people a week) – nearly a third of all murders where the victim was aged 16 and over. Of this figure, 70% of victims were women. (ONS: ww.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/ bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch201710)