Milton Keynes Council has secured £535,000 of government funding to support local efforts around domestic abuse prevention and support.
It is estimated that 12,000 adults in Milton Keynes experience domestic abuse each year (source: Domestic Abuse Needs Assessment 2018-20).
The number of domestic abuse crimes recorded has risen each year since 2018.
The MK Domestic Abuse Prevention Partnership Board (involving Milton Keynes Council, Thames Valley Police, Milton Keynes University Hospital, local support charity MK ACT and others) oversees local action to tackle domestic abuse in four priority areas:
- Educating children and young people on healthy relationships, raising their expectations.
- Ensuring easy access to services that can help break the cycle of abuse.
- Empowering victims and survivors with support networks that help as part of their journey forwards and recover from domestic abuse.
- Holding perpetrators to account to ensure recognition for victims and survivors and to deter future crimes.
Cabinet on Tuesday 7th September will receive details of new and expanded support being proposed, including services to empower victims and survivors, alongside training, awareness, and education programmes.
Councillor Emily Darlington, Cabinet Member for Adults, Housing and Healthy Communities, said: “Domestic abuse seriously affects families across the country every single day. It takes many forms from physical harm to psychological or economic abuse, and many suffer in silence. We want there to be zero tolerance towards domestic abuse in Milton Keynes.
"We are working to confront and challenge all forms of abuse, support victims and survivors, and hold perpetrators to account.
"The local partnership between the police, the council, health and support services will enable us to go beyond dealing with crime to tackle the root causes of domestic abuse. Our report carries the voice of both survivors and professionals and lays out a broad programme of support, education and training.”
If you are suffering from domestic abuse or are concerned about a friend or family member, you can contact local charity MK ACT online or on 0344 375 4307.
MK Act was commissioned by Milton Keynes Council and offers help to anyone aged 16 years and up within Milton Keynes.
