Coronavirus: Concern over increase in reports of sexual violence in Peterborough homes in lockdown

Domestic violence reports havr increased during lockdown

There has been a marked increase in the number of reports being received by Police in the city of domestic abuse and in particular sexual violence during the coronavirus lockdown.

Cllr David Seaton told this week’s city council Cabinet meeting: “I am deeply concerned by the reports that I am hearing of sexual violence during this emergency lockdown.

“Can you tell me please are the numbers correct and what, if anything, is able to be done to help and support victims of domestic and sexual abuse in the home while the lockdown continues?”

Executive Director of People and Community, Wendi Ogle-Welbourn said: “There has been a rise in the number of domestic violence incidents being reported to the Police, but I’m happy to report that we do have the capacity within our staffing to deal with each of these enquiries at the moment. In late March, additional money totalling £24m nationally over the next three years was given by central government to provide for rape and sexual abuse support.

“This will ensure that for the first time there are government-funded services in all 42 of the country’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) areas.

“In 2019, over 150,000 sexual offences were recorded nationally by the police with one in five women having experienced some type of sexual assault in their lifetime. This is despite the crimes often going unreported.

“During the coronavirus lockdown those figures have been rising and so at the beginning of May, the government pledged an additional £76m on top of that already promised to help support networks working with domestic abuse victims.

“That funding will help to meet the challenges posed in this national emergency and to continue to help those that desperately need support.”

Since the lockdown started on 23 March, there have been 624 complaints of sexual or domestic abuse received by the Police from Peterborough and it is feared that figure might well rise as the lockdown period continues.