After a terrifying spike in domestic abuse reports during lockdown, the charity Crimestoppers has launched a campaign this month encouraging people in Wiltshire and Swindon to be aware of the signs to spot and to speak up about their suspicions 100% anonymously.
During the national lockdown, Crimestoppers saw a 49% increase in domestic abuse reports, and comparing the past five months (April to August 2020) with the same period last year, they have seen a staggering 70% increase in reports about domestic abuse. The UN has described the worldwide increase in Domestic Abuse as a "shadow pandemic" alongside Covid-19.
Crimestoppers intelligence relating to Domestic Abuse increased by 68% for 2019-2020 when compared to the previous year, for Wiltshire and Swindon.
A team of professionals working at their UK Contact Centre anonymise all information - to ensure the person giving the details can never be identified - before passing it on to police to investigate and safeguard. Whether it is a neighbour, friend, work colleague or relative, no one will ever know who provided the information.
It’s estimated that a typical victim endures up to 35 assaults before speaking up and that can be for many different reasons; fear of losing their children; fear of losing their home; fear of not being believed; even thoughts that they are somehow to blame for the abuse. But bystanders – those in the know, whether that’s because they’ve heard or witnessed abusive behaviour, or because the victim has confided in them - can speak up straight away to help stop the abuse and get the victims the support they desperately need.
With support from the Home Office, Refuge, Respect Phoneline, the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (the EIDA), Hestia and Neighbourhood Watch, Crimestoppers has developed a 6-week social media campaign directed at those who suspect someone is a victim or perpetrator of domestic abuse.
The #YouAreNotPowerless campaign aims to improve the public’s understanding of what domestic abuse is and who it affects, with the strapline `Not all abuse is physical’. The Wiltshire and Swindon campaign supports the national Crimestoppers campaign. People are urged to flag up concerns if a friend, neighbour, colleague or family member is suffering in silence. Crimestoppers is working with the EIDA, which is an umbrella organisation of large and small companies that helps employers take action on domestic abuse, by raising awareness among all employees. Using their network will reach millions of employees and help spread the word.
At the start of October, Crimestoppers will be taking a more preventative approach, focusing on perpetrators. Domestic abuse is a complex issue and we recognise that some people can be stopped if they acknowledge their behaviour and accept that they need help. Whilst Crimestoppers normally focuses on people with information about those involved in crime, this approach will be directed at those whose behaviour has `crossed the line’, encouraging them to seek help, such as through the Respect Phoneline on 0808 802 4040.
Respect charity works with perpetrators, male victims and young people who have used violence in their close relationships. With one in four perpetrators reoffending, encouraging abusers to face up to their behaviour and get help to change their ways, will go some way in preventing future domestic abuse tragedies.
Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, Emily van der Lely, said: “Domestic Abuse can be physical, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial. It affects one in four women and one in six men during their lifetime. In too many cases, it results in death with two women murdered by a current or former partner each week. Statistics also tell us that 1 in 5 children will witness domestic abuse. I can’t imagine being that victim, terrified to make a wrong move, say a wrong thing and I don’t want to even try to imagine being that child, scared, defenceless and alone.
“We hear heart-breaking stories each and every day from people who are doing the right thing and telling us anonymously when they think domestic abuse is happening. We all need to realise that victims are normally too scared and traumatised to seek help. There was a time when people didn’t know what they could do if they didn’t feel confident in talking to the authorities, but thankfully, those days are over.
“As seen with the shocking rise in reports we received during lockdown and over the past year, more and more people are willing to come forward, confident that we will guarantee their anonymity, that no one will ever know they contacted us. Their information, via our charity, helps law enforcement bring a halt to the abuse and violence in the home. Our message is clear – by working together, being aware and reporting what we know, together we can help put a stop to domestic abuse, we can save lives.”
To report domestic abuse 100% anonymously, visit Crimestoppers-uk.org and fill in the simple and secure anonymous online form or call the 24/7 UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111.
To find local domestic abuse support services in Wiltshire, visit splitz.org/need-help.html
For support and advice about domestic abuse in Swindon, visit www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20029/people_and_communities/439/domestic_abuse_-_help_and_advice
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