A London borough is to adopt a new anti-domestic abuse programme, first piloted in San Francisco.
Harrow Council has approved £200,000 funding to import the programme, which takes a holistic approach to tackling domestic abuse and aims to encourage the reporting of abuse in local communities. The American pilot showed that community peer-pressure and a range of therapeutic and educational techniques can successfully break the cycle of abuse.
Cllr Margaret Davine, portfolio holder for adults and older people at Harrow Council, said: ‘With domestic violence, what we see is a lack of willingness for women to come forward, because they are afraid to do so. But we can and will help.
‘Domestic violence affects entire families, including children, and it is only right that even with cuts to local government budgets we are prioritising tackling domestic violence. That is why I am so delighted to see this council commit £200,000 to expand our current services. I know money is only part of the solution, we need people in the community to stand up and report these acts.’
The funding will also be used to increase the number of Individual Domestic Violence Advisors across the borough, and improve training to help professionals spot victims of abuse.