Yahoo News 'Shock' as abuse in Plymouth reaches 'intolerable levels'
Violence against women and girls has reached 'intolerable levels in our city,' the Police and Crime Commissioner candidate has warned. After a recent visit to Trevi, the women’s and children’s charity based in Plymouth police chief hopeful Daniel Steel said he was 'shocked' to learn that in Plymouth, domestic abuse accounts for around 27 per cent of all violent crime in the city, compared to a national figure of 16 per cent.
Mr Steel said: "One of the pledges of my campaign as candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner is to tackle violence against women and girls, the overwhelming majority of the victims of domestic abuse - 82 per cent - are women and girls.
"What was clear from speaking with the Trevi team is the importance of allyship - I have seen this firsthand as a gay man. LGBT+ rights won’t have progressed as far in our country without allies who recognised the need for change so we all need to play our part in tackling this insidious problem.
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"We must never forget behind each of those statistics are lives that have been destroyed, mental health shattered, and families torn apart. We face a serious problem and it needs bold action. Another key takeaway from my conversation with Trevi was that Labour’s proposal for a new Domestic Abuse Register is so vital. Often both victims and perpetrators move around the region, victims to escape their perpetrators, and perpetrators to hide from the authorities. We must make sure domestic abusers, male or female, have no place to hide and Labour’s plans will work to support all victims of domestic abuse, regardless of gender."
Labour's pledge on violence against victims of abuse:
Put specialist domestic abuse workers in the control rooms of every police force, responding to 999 calls and supporting victims of abuse
Ensure every police force has specialist rape units so every victim has access to specialist support and investigators who are rigorously trained to solve these complex crimes
Give domestic abusers no place to hide by introducing a new Domestic Abuse Register to track offenders and help protect victims.
Work with schools and other key partners to tackle the hatred of women and misogyny as a root cause of violence against women and girls
Mr Steel added: "It is my personal pledge to continue to listen and to learn on this important issue. If elected, I will put the voices of victims front and centre in all that Devon & Cornwall Police in this vital area. I would work with the brilliant women’s and children’s charities we have across the region to make this happen. We all want our streets to be safe but we need to feel safe in our own homes too - I will do all I can to make this a reality for everyone."
