John Dwyer, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, has successfully secured £538,100 from the Government’s Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Fund to help provide services in the county which will take a preventative approach towards domestic abuse.

John Dwyer said:

“I am delighted that our bid for over £530,000 of Home Office funding to tackle domestic abuse in Cheshire has been successful. Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime, and we must do all we can to wipe it out, including educating young people.

“To that end, this money will go towards our ‘Best of Me’ model, an early intervention approach which will tackle negative behaviours in perpetrators before there is no turning back. We’ll also be running an awareness programme in schools so that young people know how to spot unhealthy relationships.

“This extra funding will make a real difference to people’s lives, and I look forward to seeing our programmes get under way.”

The Government’s Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Fund was designed to help Constabularies focus on interventions encouraging behaviour change to help stop perpetrators from committing domestic abuse, with the ultimate aim of preventing further crimes from being committed.

Priti Patel, Home Secretary said:

“To prevent the crimes of domestic abuse from happening in the first place, we must deepen our understanding of who commits them, why they do so, and how it may escalate.

“This fund builds on the considerable work already taking place to tackle domestic abuse and aims to better understand key behaviours so we can put a stop to them to good.”

Last month, the Government published its Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, to help ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere both in the real and virtual world. Earlier this year the Domestic Abuse Act, which strengthens protections for victims whilst also ensuring perpetrators feel the full force of the law, was also passed.

John Dwyer added: 

“Steps are being taken to show those who commit domestic abuse that it isn’t ok. Perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse aren’t confined to one gender and I hope all of the work that we’re doing here in Cheshire and that the Government is outlining helps survivors across the board.

“Help and support is out there. If we can break the cycle, we can hopefully prevent further victims of abuse.”