Additional funding for domestic abuse and sexual violence services in Warwickshire

Further funding for services helping victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence services has been confirmed by Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe.

In May 2020 the Commissioner received an additional £218,164.42 from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) to help services for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence continue to deliver support across Warwickshire through the difficult circumstances created by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Six voluntary and community sector organisations who applied and met the specified criteria have benefitted from the funding which enabled them to continue their invaluable work until October 2020 by introducing different and innovative ways of working throughout the Covid-19 lockdown period.

An additional £57,891.73 has now been made available by the MOJ which will enable the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to provide further funding to these six services to meet continuing Covid-19 related costs and enable support to continue to those that need it. The funding covers the extended period until March 2021.

The six organisations receiving this additional funding are:

• Family Intervention Counselling Service
• Refuge
• Insight Services/ Domestic Abuse Counselling Service
• Parenting Project
• RoSA
• Safeline

In particular, the additional funding helps services to cope with extra demand experienced as a result of Covid-19 and lockdown measures, as well as address any short-term financial loss due to the inability to maintain normal income generation activities.

Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “All six of these organisations have continued to deliver support to some of the most vulnerable members of our community, so I am pleased that we have received additional funding from the MOJ to help continue to support them across the months ahead.

“The work they do to help victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse is vital and I want to emphasise that they remain fully open and available to provide help to those who need it, regardless of the situation with Covid-19.  This extra funding boost will only help to further safeguard their continuing support.”