Is someone you know experiencing domestic abuse?
When someone is experiencing domestic abuse, it may take the person a long time before they will talk about what they are experiencing. There is an information leaflet available for friends, family and work colleagues who are worried about someone they know suffering from domestic abuse. The leaflet provides information on how to support victims of domestic abuse and services available to safeguard them.
Domestic abuse support
If you, or people you know, are experiencing domestic abuse and need support, contact Black Country Women's Aid which provides a range of services and support to women and men. You can contact them 24 hours a day on 0121 552 6448. You can also contact them via webchat on the Black Country Women's Aid website and WhatsApp on 07384 466181.
Alternatively, there is a service for men and boys who have experienced domestic abuse, rape and sexual abuse. Contact Ask Marc by phone on 0121 289 6402, email info@askmarc.org.uk or visit the Ask Marc website for more information.
Birmingham LGBT Centre can provide a range of support services for LGBT+ victims.
Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health Foundation
Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health Foundation provides a range of culturally responsive services for people of African and Caribbean descent who are affected by mental ill health and the wider community promoting sustainable recovery and wellbeing.
In the news...
Sex abuse victims 'must get specialist support'
Encouraging abuse victims to come forward without a specialist support system in place is "totally irresponsible", campaigners have said. In an open letter, 150 signatories including Rape Crisis and Refuge are calling for fully-funded support to be included in the upcoming Victims Bill.
Read more about the open letter calling for specialist support for abuse victims.
Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Held on 15 June every year across the world, this is the globally recognised day to highlight abuse and neglect of older people, helping us to act against it. The abuse of older people, often referred to as ‘elder abuse’, is a global public health problem.
Elder abuse has an increased likelihood that the abuse will be perpetrated by an adult child or grandchild. Economic abuse factors in a higher number of cases where older people are the victims of abuse. Economic abuse can take many forms including taking money, using money to pay for things without consent, preventing or controlling access to money and transferring assets.
On 15 June 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a factsheet on elder abuse to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Conference raises awareness of suicide following domestic abuse
A conference was held in April to raise greater awareness of the link between domestic abuse and suicide through presenting research and the voices of bereaved families.
The conference promoted discussion around policy and practice development. The aim is to improve the way agencies and systems coordinate to prevent future deaths and effectively identify, investigate and respond where domestic abuse is a causal factor of suicide, while also supporting those bereaved. The programme also links to the recently published University of Birmingham ‘Domestic Abuse links to Suicide’ research.
Read more about the Domestic Abuse links to Suicide: Rapid Review, Fieldwork, and Quantitative Analysis Report.
Roshni: Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse National Conference
Roshni supports black and minoritised groups affected by domestic abuse, forced marriage and 'honour-based' abuse. In June this year, Roshni held its annual conference calling for increased visibility, reporting and understanding of 'honour-based' abuse, to ensure survivors get the right support they need
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Raising marriage age to 18 ‘huge leap forward’ in tackling forced unions
A new law recently came into force is aimed at providing better protection for vulnerable young people.
 Spotlight on coercive and controlling behaviours
What can coercive and controlling behaviours look like? Some of the learning from Sandwell domestic homicide reviews has identified that:
- Cases of domestic abuse are not easily identified.
- A victim of coercive control may not recognise their abuse as domestic abuse or be able to name it – it is crucial to discover how their everyday life has changed since they met the abuser.
- Despite extensive work both nationally and locally, family, friends and colleagues of victims often miss signs of abuse or lack understanding of how to help victims.
- Controlling and coercive behaviour has been identified as an even stronger predictor of future behaviour than physical assault.
- An abuser will use tactics to undermine safeguarding by professionals to maintain control, often using counter-allegations, including allegations of child abuse/neglect, to divert attention from their own abusive behaviour.
- Abusers are skilled in presenting a charming, calm and rational demeanour to professionals, which contrasts with the ‘irrational, emotional responses' of their victim which the abuser will frequently both cause and highlight to professionals.
Domestic Homicide Review – Tina's Story
Tina was murdered by her partner in 2017. Her partner had subjected her to years of abuse and controlling behaviour. Tina’s sister Mandy wants to help other families avoid losing a loved one through domestic abuse.
You can watch Tina's Story on YouTube. You can also read more about Tina's Story.
A domestic homicide review was carried out following Tina’s murder.
New government plans for tougher sentences for controlling and coercive behaviour
Murderers with a history of coercive behaviour towards their victims or who use extreme violence could face tougher sentences under new government plans. As part of the proposals, judges would have to consider these as aggravating factors when jailing killers.
Controlling or coercive behaviour became an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015 and includes economic, emotional or psychological abuse and threats alongside physical or sexual violence. Read more about this on BBC News website.
Sandwell Council Domestic Abuse Team
Sandwell Council plays a lead role in the Domestic Abuse Strategic Partnership (DASP) which is responsible for bringing together partner organisations and agencies to address domestic abuse. The partnership has produced a strategy entitled Sandwell Domestic Abuse Strategy and this sets out the partnership priorities for action.
Does your team need more information on domestic abuse?
You can email a member of the Domestic Abuse Team at domesticabuse_admin@sandwell.gov.uk
Visit the council's domestic abuse webpages.
Key dates
A range of multi-agency domestic abuse training is available to officers in Sandwell between now and March 2024.
You can find details of the dates and book on the training.
All sessions are held online via Microsoft Teams. Sessions include:
- Domestic Abuse and Recourse to Public Funds
- Child to Parent Abuse
- Learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews
- Domestic Abuse – two-day course
- Working with Men Who Abuse in Relationships
- Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse
- Domestic Abuse and Adult Safeguarding
- Sexual Assault and Abuse & Female Genital Mutilation
Please note we recommend officers complete the Sandwell Learn Domestic Abuse eLearning module before attending the Domestic Abuse two-day training course. To access the Sandwell Learn eLearning training, email Sandwell_Learn@sandwell.gov.uk
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