Wiltshire Police warn of consequences for abuse perpetrators
The force say they're better prepared to deal with abuse
Wiltshire Police has issued a warning of the potential consequences that can arrive at the doorstep of domestic abuse perpetrators.
The force's Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) team leader has told Greatest Hits Radio (GHR) that officers are now better prepared to handle reports of abuse - which they're anticipating will increase during the Euro's tournament, which is currently midway through the group stages.
DCI Lucy Thorne said officers have 'increased levels of knowledge' around cases of domestic abuse.
"We've ensured that in the last 12 months all of our frontline have had extra training in this area," she said, adding: "What we will do is we will try and encourage and create some confidence around the victim coming forward to us
"We completely appreciate it's an incredibly brave step that the victim has made."
Managing immediate risk
When officers respond to a report of abuse, there is the possibility of the perpetrator being arrested. DCI Thorne said arrest will only be required if there is an immediate risk to the victim or other people.
If that is the case, she said it gives the police a chance to get the perpetrators side of the story and appropriately assess the next steps.
"We can then be informed on decisions in regard to bail charge or no further action," DCI Thorne said.
"We can also look at other safeguarding methods in terms of any ancillary orders. This might be domestic violence protection order, that's an additional safeguarding that we can place on the perpetrator to protect the victim, which gives restrictions around contact and things like that," she added.
It change your way of life
There's range of convictions that can come with domestic abuse, chiefly a criminal conviction of assault.
This can have a major impact on a perpetrators future prospects.
"When you're applying for a job and you need a DBS check to have a conviction of assault is really, really serious." DCI Thorne said.
She added: "It can affect any childcare contact that you might be going through the courts in terms of the person's suitability for childcare."
Subtle controlling behaviours
There are also a variety of punishments for coercive and controlling behaviour.
But what does that look like? DCI Thorne says it's not always clear that it's happening to the victim.
"There might not be anything obvious that the victim really sees it as controlling coercive, but we're talking about the freedom to live their life without being controlled by somebody," she told us.
It can be a partner routinely checking your phone, dictating what you wear, when you see friends and family and controlling your finances.
DCI Thorne said: "We know some of the barriers, often with reporting for a domestic abuse victim, might be that they feel that they financially are not stable enough to leave that relationship.
"Has that perpetrator created that opportunity that they've controlled their finances and they are the bill payer and they are everything in terms of that relationship so they feel like they cannot function without that perpetrator," she added.
Reach out and change
DCI Thorne is encouraging anyone who feels their behaviour is putting their friends and family at risk of harm, saying there is help available.
Domestic abuse charity FearFree are one of the services the police work alongside to help perpetrators and victims access support.
They run a behaviour change course, which aims to tackle the behaviours that lead to abuse.