Dear Mr Mortimer,
Thank you for
your request for information regarding funding for domestic abuse
intervention and support. In Surrey Heath we do take violence and
abuse in the home very seriously, and are particularly keen to help
all people experiencing this to get the support that they need. As
you are aware, nationally it is fair to say that there are more schemes
in place that were started as woman-focused support services. To this
end, we fund the Domestic Violence Outreach project which is run by
Surrey Women's Aid - we contribute £32,000, however we are assured
that this worker would be available to provide support to both male
and female victims. Because we understand that Surrey Women's Aid
may sound off-putting to male victims, we also fund the Mankind Lifeline
project, which offers support to male victims and their children.
We gave the Lifeline project £1,660 to support the development
of a local drop-in service and helpline for Surrey Heath. Other local
Councils have asked the question of what is available for men, so
we are passing on information about this project - I do feel that
there is a chicken-and-egg situation that as services for men develop
and become more widespread and well-known, funding them will become
more common-place.
Lastly, we fund
the Sanctuary Scheme to the tune of £8,000 per annum. We were
one of the first authorities to be involved in such a scheme, and
are committed to ensuring that it is available to anyone who is in
fear of violence at home. For this reason, all of our literature and
advice about the scheme are provided in a gender-neutral format.
I hope that this
information meets your needs. Please do not hesitate to contact me
if you require further details,
Kate Rowlandson
Policy Officer
Surrey Heath Borough Council
Surrey Heath House
Knoll Road
Camberley GU15 3HD
01276 707263
kate.rowlandson@surreyheath.gov.uk
http://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/
