Stepwell Alliance

When someone dies in circumstances linked to #domesticabuse, families deserve answers and services need to learn. We are concerned by new #research led by Dr James Rowlands at @durham_uni, which found inconsistencies across England and Wales in how #decisions are made to commission reviews of domestic abuse-related deaths. The research also #identified gaps in information about the people involved, including ethnicity and disability. These gaps can make it harder to understand whose experiences services are missing. This reinforces the need for clear #responsibilities, culturally responsive practice and meaningful #involvement of families. Learning must lead to changes in how people are protected. dur.ac.uk/news-events/latest…

You don’t need to have all the answers when someone tells you they are experiencing domestic abuse. Listen without judgement, believe them and respect their choices. Support starts with making someone feel heard, not telling them what to do. #DomesticAbuseAwarenessMonth #StepwellAlliance

Would every child receive the same #protection from your organisation? We welcome @NatWorGroup ’s new briefing and audit tool on anti-racist and anti-oppressive safeguarding #practice, launched on 28 October. The #resources address how bias can lead professionals to overlook vulnerability or treat an exploited child as a perpetrator. NWG Chief Executive Matt Thompson has emphasised the need to #recognise how racism and adultification shape responses. This connects directly with our cultural competency work. #Organisations need to examine whose concerns are heard, whose risks are missed and what #changes in everyday practice. nwgnetwork.org/nwg-network-l… #ChildSafeguarding #ChildExploitation #CulturalCompetency #AntiRacism #StepwellAlliance

Prevention needs funding that reaches the people doing the work. We welcome confirmation in @hmtreasury's Budget of £15 million for misogyny prevention, alongside £55 million over two years to accelerate the Violence Against Women and Girls #strategy. The #prevention funding will go through the Office for the Impact Economy, working with businesses, investors and philanthropists to attract further support. For us, the next questions are practical: how will organisations access the funding, how will communities shape delivery and how will progress be measured? We want to see investment translate into sustained work that helps women and girls feel safer. gov.uk/government/publicatio… #VAWG #MisogynyPrevention #EarlyIntervention #HerFuture #StepwellAlliance

An openDemocracy investigation obtained #police data showing that 894 of 4,112 recorded instances of women’s #arrests for selected offences carried domestic abuse victim flags. The data do not establish that abuse caused the alleged offending. The reporting raises questions about recognising coercion and assessing counter-allegations. Would we #recognise coercive control if the person experiencing it was under arrest? We are concerned by new #reporting on the criminalisation of domestic abuse survivors. opendemocracy.net/domestic-a… #DomesticAbuse #CoerciveControl #WomensJustice #StepwellAlliance

Domestic abuse accounts for 65% of VAWG-related offences in a new national policing #assessment. We are deeply concerned by the #findings from the National Centre for Violence Against Women & Girls and Public Protection which also identifies growing threats from #technology-enabled abuse. Director Helen Millichap KPM has stressed the need to recognise risk earlier and intervene before more people are harmed. @womensaid, Chief Executive @FarahNazeer has also called for a coordinated response to keep #women and #children safe. For us, this means equipping #organisations to recognise patterns of abuse, share concerns safely and act before harm escalates. Prevention needs sustained #investment and clear responsibility for responding when warning #signs appear. news.npcc.police.uk/releases… #VAWG #DomesticAbuse #EarlyIntervention #ViolencePrevention #StepwellAlliance

Why should escaping abuse mean losing your #home? We welcome proposals announced by Housing Secretary, @AngelaRayner to strengthen #protections for domestic abuse survivors in social housing. The changes would help survivors keep their #tenancy while the perpetrator is required to leave. A new #measure would also prevent survivors having to prove abuse again where a relevant protection order is already in place. Keeping a home can mean keeping #children in their school and staying close to people who offer support. These proposals must translate into practical protection, with survivors’ safety guiding how they are implemented. gov.uk/government/news/domes… #DomesticAbuse #HousingRights #SurvivorSupport #VAWG #StepwellAlliance

Want to tackle modern slavery, but unsure how your organisation can help? Exploitation remains a reality today, often hidden within our communities, workplaces and global supply chains. This Anti-Slavery Day, we reaffirm our commitment to defending human rights and everyone’s right to live freely, safely and with dignity. We equip businesses and public bodies with practical tools, tailored training and specialist guidance to help prevent exploitation and respond effectively. Take the next step with us. Get in touch to find out how we can support your organisation: stepwellalliance.com/ #AntiSlaveryDay #EndModernSlavery #StepwellAlliance