VICTIMS of domestic abuse and sexual violence across Warwickshire will be better supported thanks to a six-figure donation to a number of charities and organisations.
Over £218,000 in national emergency funding from the Ministry of Justice will be shared between six groups, following a bidding process organised by the office of Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
It will be split between the Family Intervention Counselling Service, Refuge, Insight Services, Parenting Project, RoSA and Safeline.
The grants will go towards the additional costs registered charities or social enterprise have incurred or will incur whilst adapting their services during the Coronavirus pandemic.
It is also designed to meet the additional demand for help from victims which is expected to occur as lockdown restrictions are eased and people are more readily able to ask for help.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “Ensuring support services are widely available for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence from all backgrounds is critical, particularly at a time when we know lockdown will have left some victims having to share a household for an enforced period with the perpetrators.
“The message has always been that help and support is available and I know that charities and other social enterprises have been working tirelessly to meet the demands that lockdown imposed and continues to deliver.
“Covid-19 has forced them to quickly adapt to new ways of working and often this has involved in unforeseen investment in equipment to allow remote working and bring in new processes. This came at a time when many of their usual opportunities to fundraise have been curtailed. These additional grants will therefore provide a vital extra support at the time it is needed most.
“I’m pleased to be able to report that we received several applications for each pot, and while some could not be recommended for funding as they did not meet eligibility requirements, we have been successful in making the case to the Ministry of Justice for funding above and beyond the amount that was initially allocated for Warwickshire.
“This means we have been able to provide the amounts that each of the eligible bids had requested in full. This is great news and allows these organisations to focus on continued delivery of high-quality support to victims.”
