Support is available for domestic abuse victims over the Christmas period

I was pleased to see a new enforcement campaign to protect and support victims of domestic violence over the Christmas period being launched recently by the home secretary Jacqui Smith. A new advertising campaign to highlight the hidden issue of domestic abuse was also revealed. The advert shows a woman celebrating with people around her singing “when we get behind closed doors” with the strap line ‘Don’t suffer in silence’.
As figures show an increase in domestic violence over the festive season this enforcement campaign encourages increased police-led activity in higher risk areas during seasonal peaks. This will include: innovative tactics such as the use of body-worn video cameras by police; dedicated Domestic Abuse response vehicles; increased frontline policing and more specialist advice for those officers at scenes of domestic abuse; identification and targeting of the ten highest risk perpetrators in each area– to include proactive bail checks based on intelligence and data; and Identification through Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences of the ten highest risk victims in each area. This is all excellent news and I applaud the work being carried out to highlight this issue.
Christmas is a time for families to come together and celebrate. But for victims of domestic abuse it can be a time of fear and trauma. For anyone who is suffering over the Christmas period I want to highlight the fact that support is available for victims during the next few weeks. I would urge anyone who is suffering in this way to contact the 24 hour, free and confidential Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 80 10 800.