Domestic Violence (Hansard, 15 February 2001)

§ Mr. Charles Clarke

Domestic violence is a serious and abhorrent crime which the Government are determined to tackle effectively. We have emphasised that the domestic context in which it occurs is an aggravating not a mitigating factor and that it is an issue which we expect local crime reduction partnerships to cover in their audits of local problems and strategies for addressing them.

240W

Since coming to office, we have undertaken a broad range of measures to reduce the level of domestic violence and strengthen support for victims. That is why we have provided £7 million for a violence against women initiative within the Crime Reduction Programme. That initiative is currently funding for development and evaluation 34 projects that will help us identify what interventions in what circumstances are the most effective and cost-effective.

Among other significant measures within the last year are: the issue of multi-agency guidance to agencies dealing with domestic violence and of specific guidance to Health Service professionals; the issue of a new Home Office circular to the police; the inclusion of domestic violence within police Best Value performance indicators; the provision of £120 million additional capital funding for a new Safer Communities Supported Housing Fund for specified vulnerable groups, including the survivors of domestic violence; and increased funding for Victim Support.

Other current initiatives include work with the Association of Chief Police Officers on a circular on effective use of provisions in the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; the evaluation of probation service domestic violence perpetrator programmes; the development of a domestic violence toolkit on the Home Office's crime reduction website; research on possible future publicity work; and, the inclusion in the British Crime Survey 2001 of a special module on domestic violence.