Domestic Abuse Policy

Legislation

The following legislation has been taken into account when developing our approach to supporting survivors of domestic abuse:

  • Domestic Abuse Act 2021
  • Housing Acts 1985, 1988 and 1996
  • Family Law Act 1996
  • Protection from Harassment Act 1997
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
  • Police and Justice Act 2006
  • Equality Act 2010
  • Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
  • Anti-social Crime and Policing Act 2014
  • Care Act 2014
  • Serious Crime Act 2015
  • Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
  • Claire’s Law/Domestic Abuse Offender Disclosure Scheme
  • Revised Victims of Crime Code of Practice, April 2021

  • General Data Protection Regulation 2018

    5.1 The National Policy Context

In December 2019 the Government was elected with a manifesto commitment to “support all victims of domestic abuse and pass the Domestic Abuse Bill” originally introduced in the last Parliament. The act aims to ensure that victims have the confidence to come forward and report their experiences, safe in the knowledge that the state will do everything it can, both to support them and their children and pursue the abuser.

The Government’s Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2021 set out the approach to tackling crimes which disproportionately affect women and girls. It includes a set of ambitions that focus on:

  • Prioritising Prevention
  • Supporting Victims
  • Pursuing Perpetrators
  • Strengthening the System 

Relationship education was made compulsory in primary schools, sex and relationship education has been compulsory in secondary schools since 2020.        

5.2 Local Policy Context

5.2.1 North Tyneside Domestic Abuse Local PartnershipBoard 

The Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board (DALPB) is responsible for supporting North Tyneside Council (NTC) in meeting its duties under the Domestic Abuse Act. 

The Board will work together to support, advise, and work in partnership with NTC:

  • to ensure survivors of domestic abuse have access to adequate and appropriate support within safe accommodation services.
  • to improve outcomes for survivors of domestic abuse, including their children, through a strategic approach to identifying and addressing gaps in support within safe accommodation services. 

The partnership coordinates strategy and resources to afford protection, provision and prevention for people exposed to domestic abuse in North Tyneside. The North Tyneside Domestic Abuse Strategy 2021-2024 outlines how North Tyneside will implement the recommendations of the refreshed domestic abuse needs assessment and the statutory duties associated with the provision of safe accommodation and support as required by the Domestic Act 2021.

  1. Early intervention and prevention
  2. Provision of support
  3. Partnership working
  4. Criminal justice outcomes and risk reduction

5.2.2. ‘Our North Tyneside Council Plan’ Priorities

Our domestic abuse policy is underpinned by ‘Our North Tyneside Council Plan 2021/25 priorities of:

A Caring North Tyneside:

  • People will be cared for, protected and supported if they become vulnerable, including if they become homeless

A Secure North Tyneside:

  • Council wardens will work in partnership with Northumbria Police to prevent and tackle all forms of antisocial behaviour

5.2.3 Links to other North Tyneside Council policies

  • Environmental Crime Anti-Social Behaviour Policy 2020
  • Allocations Policy
  • Tenancy Agreement
  • Safeguarding Adults and Children’s Policies
  • Employee Domestic Abuse Policy