Legal News

Gateshead Council has been awarded a share of £3.5 million in funding to tackle domestic violence.

The £96,570 funding will allow the council to provide accommodation for victims of domestic abuse who may be excluded from domestic abuse refuges.

The funding will also help expand the Sanctuary Scheme in Gateshead, to keep victims of domestic abuse safe.

Gateshead Council is one of 46 local authorities across the county receiving a share of the £3.5m fund. As a result, there will be 710 new bed spaces in a range of safe accommodation, providing shelter to victims of domestic abuse across the country.

The extra money will also mean that a range of services will now be offered to victims across the country.

Successful bids range from specialist domestic abuse refuges for young women aged 16-25, to specialist training for domestic abuse advisors to cater for the specific needs of Britain’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

This funding boost in 2015-2016 is in addition to the newly secured funding of £40million over the next four years to support victims of domestic violence, as announced as part of the Spending Review.

Gateshead Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Liz Twist, said:

“This funding will greatly help us to tackle domestic abuse in Gateshead, by allowing victims to either remain safe in their own homes through installing additional security measures – or moving them to a place of safety.

“It is an essential new resource which will directly benefit the community, particularly where victims are excluded from refuge provision.”

The government’s Summer Budget also included a review of the full range of services currently available to victims of domestic abuse.

Its findings fed into the Spending Review and will inform an updated Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, to ensure that victims of domestic violence and their families have access to the support and services they need to keep safe.

Communities Minister Baroness Williams has already led a review of services working with women’s domestic abuse charities, local authorities and other local service providers to gain a much clearer understanding of the range of challenges victims and services are facing.
Baroness Williams said:

“This new funding will help Gateshead Council and specialist charities provide a strong safety net for anyone facing the threat of abuse in their own home.

“In the Spending Round, we have also secured an additional £40m over the next four years to make sure that victims can access support wherever they are from, anywhere in the country.

“We’ll set out how this money will be used for victims and areas that most need it with the publishing of the new Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.”

Duncan Lewis Domestic Violence Solicitors

Duncan Lewis can advise victims of domestic abuse on how to tackle the problem under the law – and can advise on domestic violence under UK law and Islamic law, including:

• Abuse of vulnerable people by carers
• Child abuse in the home
• Child-parent abuse
• Domestic violence between spouses, partners and boyfriend/girlfriend
• Domestic abuse between friends or flatmates
• Domestic violence towards men
• Elder abuse
• Forced marriage
• Financial abuse
• FGM
• Honour crimes
• Psychological abuse
• Same sex domestic abuse.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of Legal Aid solicitors.

For expert legal advice on tackling domestic abuse, call Duncan Lewis Domestic Violence Solicitors on 0333 772 0409.