WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols has welcomed new measures to ensure thousands more women and children will be better protected from domestic abuse through the direct targeting of perpetrators.
Backed by a £53 million investment over the next 4 years, domestic abuse perpetrators who pose the highest risk will be forced to change their behaviour and stop their offending as more police and agencies roll out tactics shown to reduce abuse.
It will form a central part of the government’s Plan for Change and pledge to tackle the epidemic of domestic abuse, which sees the police record a domestic abuse-related crime every 30 seconds.
Announced by the Home Secretary The Drive Project has been piloted since 2016 to address the root causes of abuse through intensive one-to-one case management for up to 12 months. This includes using protection orders to keep offenders away from victims, alongside work to address drug misuse and alcohol dependency. A dedicated independent domestic violence advisor (IDVA) supports the victim in parallel, ensuring their safety and needs are prioritised at every stage.
The results have seen percentages of perpetrators using physical abuse cut by 82%, sexual abuse by 88%, stalking behaviours by 75% and jealous and controlling behaviours by 73%.
The multi-million pound investment will see up to 15 new areas going live by March 2026, with full roll-out across England and Wales to follow.
Ms Nichols said, “Too many women suffer too long from violence within their own homes, and in many cases it is predictable from patterns of behaviour. Proper investment to tackle and prevent this will make real changes for the better for thousands of women who are currently suffering. Society needs to change to stop men committing this violence, and I welcome this step that shows how importantly the government takes this. We need to break the cycle of abuse, and I will always press for more support for victims as they seek to recover from these crimes”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper MP said: “The roll out of these new programmes means the relentless pursuit of perpetrators who pose a risk to women and girls whether they operate at home or on the streets – and intervening early to prevent further harm.
Through our mission to make our streets safer, we will take every opportunity to challenge and change dangerous behaviours, intensively monitor and manage perpetrators who pose a risk, and give victims the support they need to take back their lives!”
The Drive Partnership, a consortium of 3 organisations – Respect, SafeLives, and Social Finance – is working to end domestic abuse and protect victim-survivors. The Drive Project is their flagship intervention working with those causing harm in their relationships to prevent abusive behaviour.
Rolling out The Drive Project demonstrates that the government is committed to doing things differently, working closely with civil society and bringing experts into policy development to improve the lives of working people.
Alongside tackling domestic abuse, the government is also funding 3 police forces to step up efforts to prevent predatory behaviour in public spaces and night time economy venues through Project Vigilant.
Currently being trialled by Thames Valley Police, alongside several other forces across the country, specially trained plain-clothed officers are patrolling nightlife hotspots to hunt down predatory behaviour, with uniformed officers then stepping in to keep the public safe.
