National funding awarded to local agencies to challenge high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators
Over one million pounds has been awarded to the Drive Project in the South West
Local councils and police have been awarded national funding to deliver the Drive Project, an initiative to challenge the behaviour of high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators.
The Home Office Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund awarded £1,230,500.00 to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) together with Avon and Somerset Police, North Somerset Council, and two other neighbouring councils.
This effective intervention has already been hailed as successful since it was trialled across neighbouring South Gloucestershire in 2022. To date this service has effectively worked with over 220 domestic abuse perpetrators and over 670 associated survivors.
This funding will enable charity partner, Cranstoun, to work with high-risk and repeat perpetrators of domestic abuse across the three local authority areas. The programme challenges perpetrators to change and works with partner agencies - like the police and social services - to disrupt abuse and protect victims.
The Drive Project first launched in April 2016, addressing a systemic gap in the response to high-harm, high-risk and serial perpetrators of abuse. It is currently being delivered in eight police force areas across England and Wales. These same areas have seen a significant reduction in the use of abuse amongst service users.
This national programme underwent a three-year (2016-2019) independent evaluation by the University of Bristol. Their evaluation was release in February 2020 and found that the intervention reduced:
• the number of perpetrators using physical abuse by 82%;
• sexual abuse by 88%;
• harassment and stalking behaviours by 75%
• jealous and controlling behaviours by 73%.
Councillor James Clayton, North Somerset Council's Executive Member for Safety in the community, said:
“Securing this funding to enable us to implement the Drive Project in North Somerset is fantastic news. It provides us with an opportunity to strengthen our work in this area and make a positive difference to the lives of those affected by domestic abuse.”
Wendy Taylor, Assistant Director of Services at Cranstoun, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver the Drive programme across Avon & Somerset, alongside our partners, to tackle domestic violence and work with perpetrators to address its root causes.
“We look forward to collaborating with our multi-agency partners to enable positive change and protect victims and children from experiencing abuse. We believe in empowering people and empowering change.”
Kyla Kirkpatrick, Director of The Drive Partnership, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, Cranstoun, and other local partner agencies to deliver our flagship Drive Project across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
“Our aim is to end domestic abuse and protect victims by disrupting, challenging, and changing the behaviour of those who are causing harm. Together we will do all we can to make victims and survivors of domestic abuse safer across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire by responding effectively to high risk, high harm perpetrators and reducing the danger they pose.”