Brighton and Hove Violence against Women and Girls Forum (VAWG)

Transcription

1 Brighton and Hove Violence against Women and Girls Forum (VAWG) 11 February 2016 Brighton Town Hall Present: GG (Chair) PF LC IS CG WC RG AG CB DF EB MC SV FB MHW CA NM MS BT JT ME AS ST CM AV RISE Safety Net Fulfilling Lives Sussex Police Brighton and Hove CCG Mountain Healthcare Students Union University of Sussex University of Sussex Wellbeing VAWG Training Officer BHCC Lead Practitioner Children s Services Named Nurse, BSUH YPVA RISE YMCA DLG Brighton Oasis Project Survivors Network Survivors Network YMCA DLG Mankind Mankind Living Without Violence Rise and Shine Today Rise and Shine Today Local resident Veritas Veritas Rise and Shine Today Apologies: JR VAWG BHCC Item 1. Welcome and Introductions GG welcomed members of the Forum. Action 2. Minutes of Last Meeting The Minutes of the meeting held 12 November 2015 were agreed with the following comments: Women s Aid Change That Lasts (CTL): Action: Update on CTL to be provided at the next Forum. JR 1

2 Survivors Network and Wise: There was an update about a project aimed at supporting young people with learning difficulties involved in sexual exploitation will be updated at the next Forum meeting. ACTION: Update on support for young people with learning difficulties to be provided by Survivors Network and Wise at the next Forum. MC/FB 3. White Ribbon City gave an update on the work of the White Ribbon Campaign in the City. The campaign recognises the positive work in preventing violence against women. An Action Plan was circulated which detailed future work planned, including: Encouraging communities to hold local awareness events Ensuring survivors views are incorporated into work to raise awareness. Continuing work in East Sussex. The Drive Project to start working with perpetrators in West Sussex. Continuing work with Brighton and Hove Albion as well as music venues. Engaging universities, schools and colleges. JR recently met with the English Collective of Prostitutes. is launching the new VAWG training programme in April The Amber cards are being re-launched. Raising awareness in connection with the new Portal service. MS raised the issue of ensuring the appropriate language is used in awareness campaigns in order to avoid gender bias. There was discussion about the need to consider how to engage with men in this work programme, including men as perpetrators, victim/survivors, boys and allies. ACTION: Update on work to engage with men to be included at the next Forum. /JR 4. The Portal GG and FB gave verbal updates on The Portal, the new domestic and sexual violence service provided by RISE and Survivors Network. Publicity material and other resources can be ordered via The Portal website A media launch will take place in March GG raised the issue of meeting the needs of the increasing referrals to the service with the financial resources available. As a result of increased awareness (driving by local campaigns and also national issues), this has led to a rise in referrals. There is an on-going challenge in balancing best practice with limited resources and capacity needs to be considered. MS asked whether a risk assessment had been carried out in order to highlight any potential dangers caused by lack of capacity and resources. 2

3 GG responded that this issue has been raised with commissioners and is subject to ongoing review, including seeking extra funding. FB gave details about the national increase in referrals which follows an increase in reporting to police and high levels of media discussion. It was noted that police investigations in domestic and sexual abuse are being affected by the same demand issues, as is the time taken pass the case to the Crown Prosecution Service and then to Court. Hearing times in some cases are up to two years. This time delay between a reported allegation and the legal outcome leads to further work being created for service providers. It was noted an independent inquiry is continuing into allegations of child and sexual abuse linked to the Diocese of Chichester. MS noted that Mankind has received funding from the diocese and advised other organisations to apply. GG reported there is on-going research into whether there is a causal links between the economic downturn and rise in domestic abuse, at a time when violent crime overall has been declining. GG referred to recent media reports stating the Metropolitan Police will in future no longer automatically react to all allegations of sexual abuse as if they had been committed without any doubt. IS responded by stating as far as Sussex Police is concerned there will be no change in the way allegations are investigated. He explained the increase in reported sexual abuse followed a change in Home Office recording standards. FB reported a stakeholder day, for the Portal, is being held on 9 March 2016 at Brighton Town Hall. Invitations will be sent out shortly. At the event service providers will be explaining to organisations the referral routes and pathways. ACTION: Circulate details of The Portal Stakeholder Day. GG/FB CRI is currently recruiting for a post working with heterosexual male victims in Brighton and Hove as well as East Sussex. Job details can be found here. ACTION: Provide details of the CRI post to Mankind. GG/FB 5. Sharing Effective Practice Representatives from Survivors Network, RISE and Mankind gave verbal details of work being carried out to support children and young people who have experienced domestic and sexual abuse. Following descriptions of heavy workloads, AV asked if a cost effective analysis had been carried out in order to demonstrate the need for work in the area to be funded appropriately. GG explained that RISE has carried out analysis and there have also been national studies. The concept of spend to save appears to be acknowledged in the city and she praised the support received compared to other areas of the country. There was discussion about the benefits of investing in early preventative 3

4 work while some Government funding relating to safety appears to be short-term. CG raised the issue of young people being referred to MARAC and there was discussion about a lack of services for young perpetrators. AV highlighted the effect of the post code lottery relating to services and support and the negative impact on survivors. She asked if there was an opportunity locally for survivors to campaign to increase funding. She emphasised the importance of gathering the appropriate evidence in order to demonstrate improved outcomes when survivors have been supported by services. NM gave a verbal report of her work as a young people s engagement worker with Mankind. The average age of service users is 43 and NM s role is to improve access for younger people. Plans to raise awareness were outlined, including an event during Brighton Festival. The organisation has recently received funding to develop a phone app. ACTION: Circulate contact details for NM to the Forum Strategic Assessment of Crime and Community Safety presented on the strategic assessment and progress during 2015, which included an 18.8 per cent increase on reported DVA crimes and incidents on the previous year. The main issues included: Launching The Portal service Developing the trauma pathway A pilot project developing interventions for young people A pilot project for a gay, bi and trans supported accommodation There was discussion about the figures for FGM in the City. DF emphasised that BSUH followed all reporting guidelines. It was agreed the figures should be checked to ensure the police numbers match the numbers provided by health workers. ACTION: Circulate the 2015 Strategic Assessment of Crime and Community Safety report with the Minutes. ACTION: Discuss with JR the FGM figures. 7. Fairness Commission Following a decision at the last Forum to develop a submission to the Fairness Commission, a draft document was presented to the meeting. It was agreed to circulate the document to Forum members. ACTION: Circulate the Fairness Commission submission to Forum Members ACTION: Circulate details of the Fairness Commission Launch and Report when these are available. ACTION: Include the Fairness Commission Report at a future Forum meeting. 4

5 AV welcomed the opportunity for survivors to talk about their experiences to the Fairness Commission. She hopes the commission will take into account the importance of survivors being granted protected status in order to recover due to their high level of multiple complex needs. 8. Raising Awareness in the City AS, a Hove resident and mother-of-four, attended the Forum to express her concerns about raising awareness about safety with young girls and where they can obtain advice on how to protect themselves. Her anxiety about the issue followed an assault on a 15 year old girl last summer who was trailed for a mile along New Church Road, Hove, before being attacked. AS said she arranged a get-together with her daughter and a group of friends to discuss how they would have dealt with being followed and sought safety. AS was surprised and concerned that the group had no knowledge of what to do to protect themselves in a threatening situation. Before contacting the Forum, AS has already attempted to find support from other organisations. Brighton and Hove Buses is keen to work with her but so far no decisions have been made on how to progress. She also contacted Ditch The Label, who declined involvement. AS spoke about the importance of ensuring young women know how to react to protect themselves. She would like to see subliminal messages across the City in order to ensure young people learn protective behaviour as they grow up. The Forum members praised AS for her determination to effect change: AV suggested role play and drama would be an effective tool to teach safety techniques. AS was advised to contact Safety Net, an organisation which works around protective behaviours. CG suggested involving a local celebrity, for example a wellknown vlogger who lives in Brighton and Hove. FB said Survivors Network would like to support AS. suggested contact with Sam Beal, whose work in schools involves developing healthy relationships. WC from Mountain Healthcare is currently developing films on sexual violence services and would be interested in helping AS. Action: Contact AS to discuss how Survivors Network can support her. FB 9. Agency Round Table Representatives provided information regarding on-going work: Fulfilling Lives: 5

6 -Developing work with MARAC -Working to identify barriers in place for women with multiple complex needs who need to access services. WISE: -Developing work with boys and young men Survivors Network: -New weekly group for women starts in March. YMCA DLG: -Recruiting for a new education and communities post -Preventative work developing a service to target boys displaying sexually harmful behaviour BSUH: -Planning to host an event to raise awareness of VAWG issues -Developing training. Children s Services: -Key role to provide training to social workers working with families where DV and sexual abuse may be issues. Community Safety: - VAWG Training strategy will be launched in April. Rise and Shine Today: -Focus of current work is developing links with Fairness Commission. University of Sussex Wellbeing: -Developing a compulsory online programme for new students relating to domestic violence. University of Sussex Students Union: -Consent Awareness Week -Stand by Me Campaign -Staff Training -Working with BBC on report on sexual harassment in universities. CCG: - MARAC training for GPs. Veritas: -Delivering stalking training and focus groups for survivors -Obtained funding for door alarms. The next meeting will take place on 12 May at Brighton Town Hall Agenda and papers can be found at 6