 Police want to help domestic violence victims find a place to turn |
A jump of over 50% in the number of domestic violence incidents reported to the police may seem like a step in the wrong direction.
But for Kent's domestic violence team, the climb from 9,000 recorded incidents in 1999 to about 14,000 in 2003 represents a real achievement.
Pc Sue Dunn, domestic violence co-ordinator for Kent Police, said the initial challenge was to fight a massive under-reporting of offences by victims afraid to speak out.
"We know more people feel able to report it so feel we are achieving something there," she said.
Behind closed doors
Abuse in the home is a problem Kent Police are determined to beat.
A domestic violence co-ordinator, Alison Gilmour, has this month been appointed to pull together all the agencies dealing with domestic violence in the county.
She will deal with the police, social services, voluntary groups and the Crown Prosecution Service to make sure victims receive the help they need.
 | Hitting home in Kent Between January 1999 and December 2002, 17 people died in Kent as a result of domestic violence Twelve women were murdered by their current or ex-partners One man was murdered by another member of his family Two children were killed by their father Kent Police record on average 12,000 domestic violence incidents a year More than 100 cases a month are passed to Women's Services in Kent |
Meanwhile Pc Dunn is campaigning to bring awareness of domestic violence into the workplace, tackling the perception that it is a problem to be dealt with behind closed doors. In April, training will be provided for 300 people from 39 public and private sector organisations across the county.
Ms Dunn said: "It's making managers and industry understand that domestic violence can affect their staff, whether it's because of illness, or time off to see a solicitor or doctor."
She believes the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill currently passing through Parliament will help the police tackle domestic violence.
"It's been a long time coming and will give us more powers, which is good news, and also the county and criminal courts as well," said Ms Dunn.
Former detective superintendent David Stevens, who chairs the domestic violence strategy group for Kent, said: "Domestic violence for the police is incredibly important."
"A lot of people think it's a family situation not a police matter but that's absolutely false and untrue."
He said officers would now study records of calls to violent incidents in the home when investigating domestic murders.
"The murder will be investigated but there will also be a review of what services the victim of murder had accessed.
 Mr Stevens says to view domestic violence as acceptable is 'ridiculous' |
"It will highlight if there are things that could have been done better."
Mr Stevens said the vast majority of offenders were male partners but there were also cases of elderly or infirm people being abused by family members, men abused by women or violence in same-sex relationships.
"One of the things we are trying to do is educate people because the notion of domestic violence not being a crime is still prevalent among many people," he said.
"But if you are trapped in a relationship where you are being beaten every day, with all its ongoing consequences, for us not to view it as a crime is ridiculous."
|  Part of the desire we have is to make victims understand there are places you can go, people who can help you  |
He said the police received thousands of referrals each year but were generally the last resort for people seeking help.
Each of the nine policing areas in Kent has at least one domestic violence officer who can offer support, as can local Citizens Advice Bureaux.
Voluntary groups include Survivors of Abusive Relationships (SOAR) in west Kent and the Freedom Project in south-east Kent.
Mr Stevens said: "Part of the desire we have is to make victims understand there are places you can go, people who can help you.
"You don't have to suffer in silence."
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