“We want to reduce domestic abuse on the Isle of Wight,” the public health chief has said.
New figures show 2,325 Island incidents were recorded by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, between October 2021 and September 2022.
They constituted 20 per cent of all police-recorded crime in that time.
Not all carried out by men
Data shows 69 per cent of the incidents were carried out by men.
Last month, a programme was launched in a bid to stop domestic abuse, and to increase support for victims. The scheme also aims to reduce the number of repeat offenders.
Changing abusive behaviour
Speaking at a meeting of the corporate scrutiny committee on yesterday, councillors questioned how perpetrators can change their abusive behaviour.
The public health director for the Isle of Wight, Simon Bryant, said support teams were building on more ways to change behaviour, including interventions to help abusive Islanders recognise behaviour patterns, developing techniques to prevent them.
Educating and empowering young people
They are also working in schools to educate and empower young people to have good, healthy relationships and to be able to recognise what is unhealthy.
Mr Bryant said work is also ongoing to encourage more victims to report domestic abuse and he has spoken to the chief constable of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary in a bid to help increase public confidence.
Bryant: We need a system change
Mr Bryant said,
“We need a system change, so people have confidence in our police force and victims can raise concerns which are taken forward appropriately.”
Mosdell: Not enough done
Councillor Clare Mosdell, the leader of the Conservative group of councillors, said she thinks not enough has been done to repair the damage mental abuse can cause, nor what she called its horrendous effect, even where there are no bruises left behind.
Mr Bryant said the specialist teams are focusing on coercive control and mental abuse.
He added there needs to be a culture change across the country, so domestic abuse is dealt with and “eradicated.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
