Forced Marriage is a marriage without the consent of one or both parties.  Duress is also a factor. So forced marriage is:

• An abuse of human rights.
• A form of domestic violence.
• A form of violence against men and women.
• Against the law.

Forced marriage of people with learning disabilities often concerns the ability, or capacity, to consent. It also concerns the willingness to consent.  Research indicates that forced marriage of people with learning disabilities is likely to be vastly under reported. The motivators and consequences are also likely to be different from how forced marriage would usually present itself.  Click here to find out more information.

Victim Support Cumbria, Office of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC), and Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils proudly present Cumbria’s first Domestic Abuse conference in over a decade.

The conference is aimed at professional who work with families, within the criminal justice system or provide support to victims of domestic abuse or their children. The day will provide you with an enhanced understanding of domestic abuse, be able to better identify domestic abuse and coercive control and provide a trauma informed response.

Please click here for further details of the conference or click here to book your place.

The Learning Management System (My Learning)  where practitioners access safeguarding e learning such as Basic Safeguarding Training, Child Exploitation eLearning and Domestic Abuse Training has been recommissioned and as of July 1^st, 2024, this will be provided by a new company.  Important information: Please ensure you download any certificates of completed training you are missing before the closure date 30^thJune 2024

Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council, in partnership with SafeLives, are offering the training opportunity to complete ‘Responding Well’ Domestic Abuse Training.

SafeLives are a UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good. They are independent, practical and evidence-led, with survivor voice at the heart of our thinking. They work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse.

This face-to-face training is free to all professionals and the sessions will last a full day.   To learn more about this training, dates available and how to book a place, please click here. 

This training  is named after Oliver McGowan, whose tragic, avoidable death shone a light on the need for health and social care staff to have better training when working with individuals with a learning disabililty or autism.

In July 2022, the Health and Care Act set out a new requirement that CQC registered health and social care providers must ensure their staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role.

The training aims to provide all health and social care staff with the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate, and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability. If you have any queries regarding learning disability and autism awareness mandatory training, Oliver’s Training, or making a booking, please contact: nencicb.learningdisabilitynetwork@nhs.net

For more information on the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, please click here.

A Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) is carried out in accordance with the statutory requirement in line with Section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004.   The reviews are undertaken in order that lessons can learned to better protect others in the future.

The DHR Ruth, was commissioned by West Cumbria Community Safety Partnership and published by the now, Cumberland Community Safety Partnership estalished following local government reforms in April 2023.  You can read this DHR report and executive summary on the Cumberland Community Safety Partnership website.

You can also visit Westmorland and Furness Community Safety Partnership to read any of thier published reviews.

The Police in partnership with Victim Support have launched a campaign to emphasise the work ongoing over the next month to protect victims of domestic abuse as well as the support services available.  

The police aim to make sure people experiencing domestic abuse know there is support out there and that they will be taken seriously, with the aim of encouraging reporting and people seeking access to the help they need.

Victim Support have specially trained advisors who support people who are experiencing domestic abuse.  They work with you to advise on putting a plan in place to help keep you safe and, where needed, help you access safe accommodation.  Call: 0300 3030 157 or click here to find out more information.