Opinion: ‘No-one should be left suffering from abuse at home’

Our city is lucky to have a fine local paper. Across the country, so many local titles have disappeared in the last decade, or are a shadow of what they were.

I may not agree with every word printed, but each week, the Peterborough Telegraph shows what other parts of the country are missing.

One of its strengths is calling for action. It’s great to see the Telegraph’s support for the ‘Peterborough says no more’ campaign on domestic abuse, which launched on 25 November.

This is a really important initiative. More people need to know that domestic abuse isn’t just about the violence that needs to be stopped, but other forms of controlling behaviour. Sometimes, it’s those suffering who need to realise that this abuse isn’t normal.

Men are victims too, although women remain disproportionately at risk. All those affected need the confidence to seek help. Likewise, when friends, colleagues or family members see signs that something is wrong, silence isn’t the answer.

The campaign highlights the support available in Peterborough, if you suspect abuse, or if you are being abused. Specialist services have remained open during the pandemic and across the lockdowns.

No-one should be left suffering from abuse at home. Because the pandemic has caused all of us to spend more time at home, the risk of domestic abuse has obviously increased.

Thankfully, our city has not experienced the great increase in reported incidents seen in places elsewhere. On the other hand, we know that much abuse never gets reported or recorded at all. A renewed effort to raise awareness is timely.

The flag was literally raised this week at Town Hall by our council leader, Cllr John Holdich. The launch of the ‘Peterborough says no more’ campaign was timed to coincide with the annual White Ribbon Day. The symbolism from our City Council is backed by its commitment.

At a national level, the Government is proceeding with the Domestic Abuse Bill, which was a Conservative manifesto commitment.

It had cross-party support in the House of Commons and is currently making its way through the House of Lords.

The Bill should become law next year, creating a statutory definition of domestic abuse. Like the local campaign, this will emphasise that domestic abuse is not just physical violence, but can also be emotional, coercive or controlling, and economic abuse.

The legal changes that will help us tackle abusers, closing loopholes and tightening procedures in the courts. Domestic Homicide Reviews will be mandatory and lie-detector tests will be a condition of letting offenders out on licence.

There are measures to support the national roll-out of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme.

It’s named after Clare Wood, who was murdered in 2009 by her ex-boyfriend who had a history of violence against women.

The ‘Clare’s Law’ scheme allows you to ask the police about information they may hold on a potential abuser.

Information will be given to the person best placed to protect a potential victim, if the details will help to keep them safe.

Locally, the Bill creates a legal duty to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in refuges and other safe accommodation. It also creates a priority need for homelessness assistance.

Important as these reforms are, however, what we can’t change through the law are people’s attitudes.

That’s why the campaign in these pages is so vital.