Domestic Abuse Bill – what it means for Doncaster

The long awaited Domestic Abuse Bill finally received Royal Assent in April 2021.

Tackling domestic abuse has been a priority in Doncaster for many years which means that some of the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Bill have already been achieved, or are already underway.

The new statutory duty to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in refuges and other safe accommodation is already being met by Doncaster Council, although further needs assessment work is being carried out to determine if more safe accommodation is needed.

We already have a strong domestic abuse partnership that can ensure scrutiny, governance and leadership for the work that is now needed.

Priorities in Doncaster now include producing a domestic abuse needs assessment and a new domestic abuse strategy by August 2021.  This strategy must meet the needs of all members of our communities and so a huge consultation plan is underway.

Survivors of domestic abuse are vital to any future plans for tackling domestic abuse.  Doncaster Council has a commitment and ambition to strengthen engagement with survivors through the establishment of peer support networks which is something that goes far beyond the needs assessment and strategy work.

Have Your Say!

Consultation is now open for you to have your say about how we currently deal with domestic abuse and how we should tackle it over the next 3 years.  It is vital that we hear from as many people as possible living and working in Doncaster.  To make a difference we need to be sure that the strategy benefits all members of our communities and that we are all committed to working together with the same vision to end domestic abuse in Doncaster.  There is a questionnaire for victims/survivors of domestic abuse and one for practitioners, managers and community activists and leaders.  There is also one for members of the public, one that can be used to facilitate discussion with people who have been abusive towards others and one that can be used by with young people affected by domestic abuse.

Doncaster Council has received additional funding in 2021/22 to support with providing safe accommodation and support so it’s a great opportunity for you to get involved to help inform and shape what’s needed in the future.

Please take part in the consultation and share details of it far and wide.  Better still – could you facilitate the completion of the questionnaire or hold workshops to discuss how we tackle domestic abuse in Doncaster?   This would be particularly useful if you work with people who are visually impaired, work with people who do not have access to computers or the internet, or work with people who have translation needs (the survey is also available in multiple languages).

If you would like to discuss the strategy or the consultation please contact Karen.shooter@doncaster.gov.uk