At least 1 in every 12 women will be a victim of VAWG per year (2 million victims) and numbers are expected to be higher as many feel too ashamed or concerned about reporting their experiences.
With the summer holidays presenting a heightened time for children and young people to be exposed to violence and abuse and grooming, the Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Services are calling for a whole community response to the rise of misogyny, urging the public to join the #KnowSeeSpeakOut campaign. This invites people to Know: what domestic abuse is, See: what action they can take, Speak Out: signpost people to support services and call out abusive behaviour.
Kent and Medway Councils call for extra vigilance to end domestic abuse
These statistics are truly horrifying...
The report states that 3,000 offences of VAWG are recorded nationally each day, with child sexual abuse and exploitation increasing by more than 400% between 2013 and 2022. In Kent, 1 in 5 crimes reported to the Police are domestic abuse related and 1 in 5 children have been exposed to domestic abuse in their household.
Hannah Dodds, Children and Young People’s Mentor at Oasis Domestic Abuse Service says: “These statistics are truly horrifying and it’s something we are seeing every day at Oasis. VAWG presents a very real threat to our young people, in and out of school and college. With the rise of influential figures promoting misogyny online, we have to step up the education of young people about healthy relationships in all areas of society. That calls for a multi-agency and whole-community response. Abuse is when someone uses power to control someone with whom they have a personal connection. We need to help young people to identify abusive behaviours and signpost them to support, in every setting they encounter – home, school/college, youth clubs, places of worship. The Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Services are here for anyone that is affected. You are not alone.”
A recent Women’s Aid report found that children and young people exposed to misogynistic social media content were almost 5 times more likely than those not exposed to view hurting someone physically as acceptable if they say sorry afterwards.
“Hanna”, a young woman supported by Oasis says:
“Having a violent or abusive partner has been glamourised on social media. It’s being normalised. Young people need to realise it’s not normal, it’s not healthy – they shouldn’t have to go through that. Through the support, it made me realise none of it was my fault.
Mobile phones make abusive relationships so much worse, including social media stalking. I had to send videos and photos of the people I was with and a 360-degree image of the environment I was in. I’d be accused of cheating, called names, if they didn't get what they wanted. I’ve seen so many threats to expose pictures. It affects your feeling of safety, trust and makes you question yourself. A major problem is location finding on social media. They find where you are so easily.”
“No woman or girl should be subject to these types of offences...”
Led by Kent County Council, Medway Council and the Kent Integrated Domestic Abuse Service (KIDAS) and Medway Domestic Abuse Service (MDAS) partnership and involving a range of partners, the #KnowSeeSpeakOut campaign encourages residents, businesses, and community groups to become informed about the crime and be able to direct people to safety. The summer holiday presents a vital time to raise awareness.
Shareable resources have been developed, including social media posts and a printable poster that can be put up in venues, so that everyone can get behind the campaign. Download the resources.
Roger Gough, Kent County Council Leader and White Ribbon Ambassador says: “We have an urgent need to ensure that our young people know what healthy relationships are, and for there to be education, prevention and early intervention to reduce cases of VAWG. No woman or girl should be subject to these types of offences, which the NPCC report highlights are becoming “ever more complicated”. These include, but are not limited to, coercive control, sexual assault, stalking and harassment. We continue to work closely with partners including our commissioned domestic abuse services, education providers and Kent Police to improve the response to VAWG. Together with our communities, we can all work to reduce and eradicate this crime.”
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council and White Ribbon Ambassador, says: “Domestic abuse is completely unacceptable, and something that nobody should have to experience. We want everybody to feel comfortable to speak up and challenge unacceptable behaviour when they don’t think something is right – and the more awareness and education around this important topic there is, the more this will happen. I also want to remind anybody who is experiencing abuse that there is help out there – if you need support, please reach out. Remember, you are not alone.”
To access specialist Domestic Abuse support through KIDAS or MDAS please call Victim Support 0808 168 9111 or visit www.domesticabuseservices.org.uk, where you can also find information, resources and training webinars.
In an emergency, call the police on 999 (if you can’t speak, cough, or tap the handset then press 55 on your phone - the police will know it’s an emergency).
To access the Know, See, Speak Out resources, follow this link.
As part of their ongoing commitment to tackle domestic abuse, Kent County Council and Medway Council are White Ribbon accredited organisations. More information on KCC’s work with White Ribbon can be found at White Ribbon – Kent County Council.
Since 2017, Kent County Council has worked with Partners to commission the Kent Integrated Domestic Abuse Contract (KIDAS) which provides help for survivors across both community and accommodation-based support and continues to work with partners to build, develop and maximise the support available to those experiencing abuse.
The integrated approach of KIDAS means victims can access support wherever they are in Kent and has ensured a consistent response for victims and survivors during the pandemic.
Medway Council commission Medway Domestic Abuse Services (MDAS) and a range of safe accommodation-based services for victims of domestic abuse across Medway.
A central non-emergencies helpline and 24/7 live chat for Kent & Medway is coordinated by Victim Support, with localised helplines delivered by Oasis Domestic Abuse Service (East Kent, Medway, North Kent), Look Ahead (West Kent) and Clarion Housing Group (North and South Kent). A dedicated website set up by Kent County Council, Medway Council and Kent Community Safety Team, with full information for safety planning and access to support can be found at www.domesticabuseservices.org.uk
