Domestic abuse numbers anticipated to increase in Suffolk
Now that restrictions have eased, it is thought domestic abuse helpline calls will rise
Last updated 21st Jul 2021
Domestic abuse numbers are anticipated to increase in Suffolk now that restrictions have eased.
This is according to Teri Cudby, Domestic Abuse Champion Coordinator at Suffolk County council.
She worries that perpetrators of coercive control may use the previous restrictions as reasons to still commit domestic abuse.
Cudby said: “As restrictions start to ease there has been an anticipation that we will see an increase on domestic abuse, that will filter through gradually.
“What we have to remember is there has been an awful amount of victims that have been suffering in silence.
“We have done our best to make sure services are advertised and promoted, to make sure that people know that they can access those services in spite of any restrictions that have been in place.
“As we see things ease I think it’ll be about victims learning how to manage the new situations that they face.
“I believe that Covid will still be used as a weapon by perpetrators of coercive control to try to maintain the levels of control that they have had over the last year or so.
“I think it will be a graduate process as victims are able to reach out, and equally as we are able to reach in to them, and make them feel comfortable and sure that they can be made safe by the services that are available.
“During the pandemic whilst people have been locked down at home, there hasn’t been a significant trend that we have been anle to track in terms of an increase in calls to the helpline.
“We have seen that sometimes those referrals out to our domestic abuse outreach services sometimes have a slight peak when things begin to ease. Those trends are reflected across the services.
“Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to deliver our domestic abuse champions training to a host of trusted professionals and frontline professions. That continues to be available to anyone who lives or works in Suffolk.
“Anyone who is interested in finding out more about domestic abuse, increasing their confidence, and hopefully being able to do that reaching in so that we can make victims safe sooner – Just email dachampions@suffolk.gov.uk and we can give you the information about how you can access that free training.”
You can find out more about other support available in domestic abuse situations here.