Understanding healthy relationship needs in Devon

Devon County Council have launched a survey that hopes to gather information from people who sadly have lived experience of domestic abuse.

They want the study to inform how best the Council can support people who are experiencing domestic abuse in future.

The Council support a number of local organisation’s that deliver ground breaking projects that support people escaping from an abusive partner; manage complex family situations; support young people who have experienced domestic abuse; help find safer accommodation; and support peoples recovery from the trauma that such abuse can cause.

It’s part of a county-wide, collaborative ambition to develop the best possible domestic abuse support for individuals and families within Devon.

Some 1.2 million women and 700,000 men in the UK experience domestic violence each year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

While domestic abuse against individuals still sadly occurs in relationships, in Devon the partnerships report that they are seeing growing numbers of cases in which coercive behaviour or financial abuse is present.

Devon & Cornwall Police received 587 reports of controlling and coercive behaviour in 2021/2022 – up from 500 in 2020/2021, which was the first year such crimes are recorded in the data.  Office for National Statistics figures show 21,669 domestic abuse-related crimes were recorded by Devon & Cornwall Police in the year to 2021/2022  – up from 20,905 the year before, and the highest number since 2015/2016.

All forms of domestic abuse, whether that’s physical, phycological, mental or financial abuse, are of course criminal acts, and no-one should be forced into that place. We all have a right to healthy relationships.

They  have provided a programme of support to survivors of domestic abuse and their families for many years, working closely with a number of local organisations, as well as Devon’s District and City Council housing teams, to help individuals and often the children in those instances where there is domestic abuse.

But the current contract with providers is due to end in early 2025, and therefore we are doing a thorough review now, including research, to make sure that we will be commissioning the support that people and families need in future.

To do the research, we are working with domestic abuse charities and support providers, and with survivors of abuse known to them. 

But we also want to reach people who have experienced abuse but perhaps are unknown to support groups.

Councillor Roger Croad, the Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for communities, said:

“We want to better understand how people in Devon see issues around family relationships, domestic abuse and violence and how these impact on their daily lives.  We don’t just mean couples, but also relationships between siblings, child and parent relationships and friendships too.

“Through this research, we want to hear about people’s relationship experiences, perhaps where the relationship left them afraid, or confused or upset. Or where the partner was controlling or harassing or stalking them, or forcing them to do things that they did not want to do.

“We want to know whether people think there is the right support out there for those stuck in unhealthy relationships, or if they think more could be done to make them feel safer.”

All information shared will be completely confidential, and will help the council better understand what people who face abuse in Devon need in order to develop future services.

The survey can be found on our Have Your Say webpage.

The deadline for responses is Thursday 31 August.

If you are affected by any topic raised within this survey you can find support by calling Fearless on 0345 155 1074 or visiting the FearLess website.  Alternatively, the free National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24 hours a day, all year round on 0808 2000 247.