Swindon charity hails Queen’s drive to end domestic abuse

It's working with the University of Worcester on a programme to reduce re-offending.

Author: Harry LongPublished 11th Nov 2024
Last updated 11th Nov 2024

The Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service is hoping their project with the University of Worcester will reduce re-offending and improve the wellbeing of perpetrators.

They're working together on a programme that works to reduce re-offending, called Open2Change.

The news of the programme comes as a special documentary is airing on the TV tonight - featuring Her Majesty the Queen on ITV1.

With the documentary detailing Her Majesty’s commitment to highlighting domestic abuse, the cause has been a long-standing issue that the Queen has worked to raise awareness of across the world. In January of this year, she visited Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service and found out more about the innovative and life-saving work that was being carried out.

With the documentary highlighting the fact that 1 in 5 adults in the UK will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, and that two women are killed every week by their partners, Interim CEO of SDASS, Kate Rowland, agrees that it is only when society acknowledges the extent and impact of domestic abuse that we can look towards a future without it.

Kate said: “Domestic abuse extends into every aspect of our society and can affect anyone regardless of gender, age, sexuality or economic status. At the start of this year we were lucky enough to welcome Her Majesty and show her exactly what we were doing, both to support victims in our area as well as running proactive prevention programmes; which she described as “something special.” We’re very grateful to her for championing the cause across the UK and beyond.

“We need everyone to know what domestic abuse is and how to spot the signs, as emotional abuse and coercive control are just as damaging as physical abuse and can be so much harder to recognise.

"Through the work we do on early intervention, education and prevention we want to one day see a society without abuse.”

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