Councillor welcomes £1.1m extra support for domestic violence victims
County councillor Tom Sanderson has welcomed government funding for Cambridgeshire to help continue its support for domestic violence victims. - Credit: Harry Rutter
Cambridgeshire will receive over £1.1 million to continue supporting victims of domestic violence.
The government funding will be spent on supporting victims to stay safe in their own homes across the county and to meet the duties set in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
Cambridgeshire County Council, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, also wants to use the funding for the likes of refuge accommodation and outreach support.
Cllr Tom Sanderson, chair of the county council’s communities, social mobility and inclusion committee, welcomed the government’s help.
He said: “We know that cases of domestic abuse have increased because of the Covid-19 pandemic, so this additional investment to help us provide services to keep people safe is very welcome.”
The government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities awarded the county council £1,143,474 to help their support efforts for domestic violence victims.
One of the measures the money will be spent on is refuge accommodation, where there are three refuges in Cambridgeshire with space for 32 women and 55 children.
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This accommodation will be available for those fleeing from out of the county and within the area if there is a significant distance and deemed safe.
Outreach support will continue to be made accessible for anyone regardless of level of risk to ensure they remain safe in their own home, or to find alternative accommodation.
Access to increased security in accommodation is also included, with all services available for people aged over 16-years-old regardless of sex, gender or sexual orientation.
Dispersed safe accommodation will be provided primarily for residents who are being abused, as set out in the council’s safe accommodation strategy.
It is an additional option for different groups of people, including victims with teenage children or those with no recourse for public funds.
Through this measure, the county council looks to provide independent domestic violence advisers to support those moving back into their own home or an alternative home.
“Working with partners and the community, we are committed to tackling domestic abuse in all its forms,” said Cllr Sanderson.
“This includes preventing it, supporting people experiencing domestic abuse and during the prosecution of offenders.
“If you need help, please visit our website at: https://www.cambsdasv.org.uk/website to get support.”
