Hundreds more domestic abuse victims to be supported after Sunderland helps secure share of £600,000 fund

Extra cash will be made available to specialist support workers in Sunderland as they help the victims of domestic abuse.
The money will be used to support domestic abuse victims across Northumbria Police's area.The money will be used to support domestic abuse victims across Northumbria Police's area.
The money will be used to support domestic abuse victims across Northumbria Police's area.

Sunderland City Council is part of a consortium of councils including Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and South Tyneside behind the successful £600,000 bid to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The cash will be used to help fund specialist outreach support for an additional 280 domestic abuse victims across the Northumbria Police force area.

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This will be through outreach support and an extra 75 bed spaces in short term accommodation, Housing First properties, dispersed accommodation and supporting people to remain safely in their own homes where they choose to do so.

The focus will be to help support victims of domestic abuse with more complex needs, including drug and alcohol dependency, trauma symptoms, mental ill health, learning and physical disabilities, victims of forced marriage, trafficking, honour based abuse and female genital mutilation (FGM.)

The funding will enable a coherent partnership approach to be delivered in Sunderland through Wearside Women in Need (WWiN) and Changing Lives.

Councillor Michael Mordey, deputy leader of Sunderland City Council and chairman of the Safer Sunderland Partnership, said: "This cash will help us increase what we are already doing to make sure that no victims of domestic abuse are turned away without the help and support that they need.

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"It will also help us to build on what we have learnt over the last two years about the value of cross border working and co-operation in supporting survivors of domestic abuse who although they are not always high risk, place a greater demand on services because of the complexity of their needs.

"Only by working together can we hope to tackle this horrific crime."

Becky Rogerson, acting director at WWiN said: “We are really looking forward to delivering this scheme; it brings agencies together that have extensive experience and knowledge in this area of work and provides additional capacity to support some of the most vulnerable women in Sunderland."

This is the second time the consortium have been successful in securing government cash to tackle domestic violence.

An earlier bid in 2016 secured £660,000.