Domestic abuse

Operation Hope for International Football Tournaments

Research shows domestic abuse reports can rise by 38% when England’s men’s team lose and 26% when they win or draw in an international football tournament like the World Cup or the European Championship. (Lancaster University, 2014)

During tournaments, our focus will primarily be on England games but we recognise our diverse communities may be focused on other matches.

With this in mind, we will be carrying out planned activity in collaboration with community partners to help raise awareness, prevent harm and encourage reporting; ensuring people know how to access support throughout the tournament.

Activity includes safeguarding visits to potential high-risk victims of domestic abuse and working with our partners to make sure safeguarding plans are in place and support is available.

Can you see it?

We all have a role to play. If you are concerned about someone and suspect domestic abuse, including coercive or controlling behaviour - please tell us. You will not be wasting our time. You can stay anonymous and it doesn’t have to be a formal report. Your call could help protect someone from harm.

It can be hard for those in the centre of domestic abuse to make that call. We have seen time and time again that a stranger or a friend/family member making that call can save lives.

A neighbour that hears shouting and screaming but doesn’t want to cause trouble.

A stranger in the street that didn’t like the conversation they heard.

A friend that notices they don’t seem themselves.

Be the assist they need and change the game.

Coercive control

Coercive control as a form of abuse can often seem like a grey area. It may not feel ‘serious’ enough to tell the police about. It may be hard to describe and put into words.

But it is serious. Coercive control is a crime in itself. It can also indicate an escalating pattern of behaviour that includes violent crime such as rape, sexual assault and violence.

Coercive control includes:

• Movements being tracked – via an app, constants calls or texts, timing how long errands take such shopping or the school run
• Controlling money
• Controlling what they wear, what they eat, when they can sleep
• Controlling who they see and where they can go

You are not alone.

Domestic abuse happens somewhere every day of the year and can often leave people feeling alone, trapped or silenced.

If you are suffering from domestic abuse we urge you to call us or speak to an officer. Please put your trust in us – there is hope after abuse and taking the steps to report it will get you closer to a safer, brighter future.

Making the decision to report abuse and violence

Reporting domestic abuse can be incredibly difficult for so many reasons, and we understand the complexities that make it hard to come forward. Telling someone is the first step to keeping you, and your family, safe. It takes a huge amount of courage but you are not alone – our extensively trained staff and officers are here to keep you safe.

Making contact with us

You can contact us online, call us on 101 (or 999 in an emergency), visit us in person at a police station, or report through a third party such as a support organisation.

Our response

When you contact us in relation to domestic abuse we will carry out an initial assessment of the circumstances. We may come to you immediately as an emergency response or as a prompt response at your home address.

For lower risk incidents, we may:

• Ask you to come to a police station, which is a safe place away from your home.
• Arrange the best time and location to come and see you.
• Arrange for you to meet us online for a video appointment. The video appointment system is simple to use, completely secure and extremely difficult to detect by perpetrators.

When we see you

We will listen to you without judgement and document what you have to say. 

We will complete a risk assessment. The information you provide us will give us a better understanding of what's going on and what we can do to support you to remove the harm that the abuser is inflicting.  

If you are reporting a crime, we will record it and you will be given the reference number. 

If the matter does not amount to a crime we will still record all the details on our systems, along with the risk assessment. The report remains with us for a number of years, which will help to get you the right support if you need to contact us again.   

Protective measures we can put in place

Clare’s Law: The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS)

If you are worried that your partner has had an abusive past, you can make an application to find out under Clare’s Law. For more details, please visit the Clare’s Law page, phone 101, visit a police station or speak to any officer.

Domestic Violence Protection Notices (DVPNs) and Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs)

If a domestic abuse perpetrator is released from custody without Charge or bail conditions, they may be issued with a DVPN. The DVPN will include conditions to give you immediate protection from your abusive partner, such as preventing them from molesting you, contacting you, or removing them from your address.

An application is then made to the courts for a DVPO – a protection order which lasts up to 28 days and will include conditions set by the court. The conditions will vary depending on your circumstances, but will be designed to offer you safe breathing space, away from your abusive partner, to consider your options with the help of a support agency. Officers will ask your views if they are considering applying for a DVPN and DVPO.

Criminal offence

If there is an allegation of a criminal offence we will conduct an investigation and take positive steps to deal with it. In many cases, we will make an arrest and the perpetrator will be taken to police custody where they will remain while we complete our investigation. We will always listen and take your views seriously and consider the impact it may have when making the decision. We may choose to arrest and prosecute even without your support if we feel it's the safest way to protect you from further abuse - your safety comes first.

The investigation

As part of the investigation we will ask you to provide evidence, most likely in the form of an account. This is your choice and we can help support you in making your decision.

This is a written legal document which forms part of our investigation and can be used in a court of law as part of a trial. It is your account of what happened.

Depending on the circumstances you may be asked to provide your account via video in a more informal setting. Your account of what happened is one of the strongest forms of evidence we can use, along with anything that may confirm what you have told us e.g. photographs, mobile phone video or audio recording, threatening text messages or abusive mail. When we have gathered sufficient evidence we will present it to a representative of the Crown Prosecution Service. They will make the decision on whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a prosecution.

Supporting you

Whether there is a crime or not, your safety comes first, and we are here to offer support and advice to help protect you. You can be referred to an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) who will support you in this journey through the criminal justice system. There are many independent specialist support services you can contact, or we can contact on your behalf, who can offer advice on all forms of abuse, getting an injunction, dealing with child custody issues, property issues or finding a refuge. If there are children present we will be able to make referrals to other agencies to make sure you are all safe and supported.

These organisations can help you in recovering from your experiences and help you rebuild your life.

Find local and national support services.

Our promise to you

We are taking this opportunity to reach out to ALL victims of domestic abuse and pledge that if you are in a relationship where physical and psychological abuse may be happening, if you are feeling isolated, intimidated or manipulated by your partner - we are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days per week - we will listen to you, we will take your situation seriously and we will leave you safer than before you called us.