Over £500,000 secured to reduce reoffending amongst domestic abuse perpetrators in West Yorkshire

5th August 2022

Over £500,000 has been secured to support the victims and survivors of domestic abuse and to reduce reoffending across West Yorkshire.

This extra funding means that since 2020, West Yorkshire has successfully secured £1.3 million from the Home Office to support Domestic Abuse Perpetrator programmes across the region.

Domestic Abuse Perpetrator programmes target those who commit domestic abuse and work with them to reduce the chance of reoffending, helping to protect victims and survivors.

A total of £550,225.25 has been granted to local councils, West Yorkshire Police and charitable organisations working to reduce domestic abuse.

The money will support seven projects in the region, including the funding of an additional domestic abuse perpetrator worker in Leeds, 32 GPS location tags for offenders, and a perpetrator intervention programme for fathers in Kirklees.

West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe OBE, said: “Tackling violence within the home is a vital part of creating a safe, just, and inclusive West Yorkshire – the main objective of the Mayor's Police and Crime Plan. This additional funding is a welcome step forward in our work to reduce domestic abuse.

“Early intervention and prevention is one of the central themes of the Police & Crime Plan, as is the safety of women and girls. I am encouraged to see central government recognising the work we are doing in these areas by providing these funds.

“By tackling domestic abuse at the source and offering help to those who commit it, we are reducing the chances of these perpetrators reoffending and causing further devastating harm to their victims and those around them.

“We cannot underestimate the scale and complexity of the issue. However, the welfare of victims and survivors is always at the heart of our domestic abuse programmes.

“Our work across the region is ongoing, and colleagues in charities, West Yorkshire Police and Local Authorities are delivering much needed services with limited resources.

“The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, and I will continue to work to deliver more funding to extend our services and reach more of those affected by domestic abuse.”

The new funding will also provide additional support to the West Yorkshire Perpetrator Cautioning and Relationship Abuse (CARA) service.

Commissioned by the Mayor and delivered by Restorative Solutions, partnered with the Hampton Trust, CARA provide workshops for first-time perpetrators of domestic abuse who receive conditional cautions from West Yorkshire Police.

The workshops hold offenders to account for their actions, enabling them to recognise the damaging effects of their behaviour and establish a sustainable change.

The extra funding will help deal with the increased demand for the service including group workshops and remote one-to-one sessions.