Crime chief receives more than £1 million to 'break the cycle' of domestic abuse
West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has secured £1.2 million of Home Office funding to support the roll-out of a force-wide domestic abuse perpetrator programme.
John Campion who has committed to tackling all forms of domestic abuse in his Safer West Mercia Plan, says the successful bid will help to challenge the thoughts, beliefs and behaviours of domestic abuse perpetrators.
Government figures show that many domestic abusers are repeat offenders, with 83 per cent of male offenders repeating their offences within a six-month period
The money secured by Mr Campion is part of a £39 million Home Office fund that will support 50 projects aimed at tackling domestic abuse across the UK over the next two years.
Since 2018, Mr Campion has funded the Drive project, which is run by not-for-profit service provider Cranstoun, working with high-risk, high-harm perpetrators.
Now with the funding from the Home Office, he is to create an all-risk-level perpetrator programme delivered by one provider, the contract for which is to be awarded in June following an ongoing procurement programme.
Mr Campion said: “I am committed to breaking the cycle of domestic abuse, including have a system of effective perpetrator programmes across the whole of West Mercia.
“Securing more than £1.2 million is a momentous achievement and will help on my mission to do ever more to protect victims and support them from the life-changing damage of domestic abuse.
“It is vital we create an environment where victims in West Mercia feel confident enough to come forward as they know they will receive the best quality support as well as getting the justice they rightly deserve.
“That’s why this funding is so important as it will help to tackle domestic abuse at its root, reducing the number of victims by challenging and changing the behaviour of those inflicting pain.”
