Bassetlaw District Council is taking steps to tackle domestic abuse and provide support to residents experiencing domestic abuse and violence.
The Council is currently in the assessment stage of achieving Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) Accreditation, a benchmark for how housing providers across the UK should respond to domestic abuse. Many employees of the Council have also taken the White Ribbon Promise – to never use, excuse or remain silent about violence against women and girls.
During the process of seeking to achieve DAHA accreditation, a review of the Council’s policies, procedures, and practices across all departments has taken place to ensure that they are survivor-led, and the entire workforce has undertaken training to raise awareness of the signs of domestic abuse and how to provide support.
Staff have been working alongside Christie Conroy, a domestic abuse specialist from the charity Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid to achieve DAHA accreditation. She said: “We want to ensure a joined up, holistic approach to tackling domestic abuse. For instance, a housing repairs team may see signs of abuse in the home such as holes in a door or wall, whereas someone on reception may sense that a visitor to the Council has an air of fearfulness.
"It’s about being aware of what to notice and what to do and say to someone if you suspect they could be a domestic abuse survivor, and how to hold perpetrators to account for the abuse.
“The training and accreditation will highlight the fact that the Council can offer a safe space for anyone wanting to disclose domestic abuse. It will also ensure that clear pathways are established with external agencies so that survivors can be effectively supported and enabled to make an informed choice.”
Our accreditation adds to the commitment that each year, White Ribbon Day taking place on 25th November ahead of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence encouraging people to take positive actions towards gender equality is marked by our staff being enabled to sign the pledge.
The theme for 2024, “It Starts with Men,” encourages men and boys especially to make the White Ribbon Promise and assume a position of allies to women. Councillors and employees of the Council have taken the promise in recognition and backing of the campaign’s objectives.
Lynne Schuller, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Bassetlaw District Council said: “I am pleased to see, for our third consecutive year, many of our male council employees and councillors pledging to never use, excuse or remain silent about men’s violence against women.
“Violence against women and girls is shown to negatively affect mental health, increase substance misuse and homelessness, and reduce employment and educational attainment, therefore greatly impacting on their life chances. It is vital that we continue to share our intention as a Council to challenge negative behaviours and enable safety for all our communities.”
David Armiger, Chief Executive of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “We’ve worked hard to make sure our policies, procedures and practices are survivor-led alongside training our staff to raise awareness of the signs of domestic abuse and how to provide support.
“This has all been part of the Council’s bid to achieve DAHA accreditation, a benchmark for how housing providers in the UK should respond to domestic abuse.”
If its assessment is successful, Bassetlaw will be the second Council in Nottinghamshire to attain DAHA Accreditation. Funding from Nottinghamshire County Council is covering the costs of meeting the standards of the accreditation. You can find out more about DAHA accreditation at: www.dahalliance.org.uk/. Visit www.whiteribbon.org.uk/ to find out more about the White Ribbon Campaign and make the promise yourself.
Last Updated on Friday, December 6, 2024