Partnership aims to tackle threat of rising domestic abuse in Hampshire

Office for National Statistics figures show related crimes recorded in Hampshire rose by six per cent in the year ending in March 2021 but charities have warned of the difficulty in tackling the problem due to it being 'largely hidden' in people's homes.

A third of women and one in seven men will now experience it within their lifetime.

In response, Vivid which provides thousands of affordable homes has partnered with Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) to introduce ‘preventative measures’ in a bid to deal with cases.

‘We believe having a safe and secure home is a fundamental right for everyone but for many people who are victims of domestic abuse their home is not safe,’ Jonathan Cowie, its chief operating officer, said.

‘As a housing association we’re in a unique position where our staff have access to our residents’ homes and we have numerous communication avenues to our customers, meaning with the right training and tools we can spot the signs of domestic abuse early and help get victims to safety.’

As part of the new partnership, DAHA has seconded one of its employees to work as an accreditations project lead for Vivid. Hannah Brown will work to earn the organisation the benchmark recognition demonstrating its response to domestic abuse.

'I am thrilled to be a part of this new and exciting partnership between the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance and Vivid,' she said. 'This unique opportunity will allow me to gain a real insight into the workings of Vivid, to embed a best practice response to domestic abuse through an inside out approach.'

She will work to create a 'strategic steering group' and partnership with domestic abuse charity Aurora New Dawn to build its approach to the issue. She will also lead training for the organisation's staff.