Witney News - Grants will help support domestic violence victims

Grants will help support domestic violence victims

Grants worth £19,000 to help fund support services for victims of domestic violence have been agreed by West Oxfordshire District Council's Cabinet.

£14,000 will go to support the outreach service currently operated across the District four days a week by Cherwell Housing Trust.

In the absence of a dedicated refuge in West Oxfordshire, this provides specialised advice, counselling and support to victims of domestic violence. Records show that the numbers of reported incidents have rocketed by almost 60 per cent in the three years with 444 offences recorded in the 12 months ending March 2007.

A further grant of £5000 has been allocated to help cover the cost of installing improved home security measures for domestic violence victims through a sanctuary scheme.

One of these is being set up in West Oxfordshire with the beneficiaries likely to be tenants of social landlords and residents on low incomes.

“Agreeing these grants ties in well with our Community Safety Strategy which has working to reduce domestic violence in the District as one of its key objectives,” says Cllr Jill Dunsmore, Cabinet Member for Communities.

“While the increase in reported cases is worrying, the higher figure also reflects the fact that the work carried out by the West Oxfordshire Community Safety Partnership in recent years has made victims more confident of contacting relevant agencies in the knowledge that help is available.”

West Oxfordshire District Council received a Government grant worth £75,000 for 2007/8 to spend on initiatives to prevent homelessness and reduce the numbers of households living in temporary accommodation. The £19,000 in grants just agreed are subject to the statutory Call-In procedures and will be drawn from this source.