Violent Crime including Domestic Violence

Violent Crime

The risk of becoming a victim of any crime has fallen steadily over recent years, but although violent crime has fallen by 48% since its peak in 1995 (Crime in England and Wales 2007/08), when it does occur, it is traumatic and extremely distressing.

The risk of becoming a victim of Violent Crime in Devon is very low. Devon and indeed North Devon and Torridge remain one of the safest places in the country to live.

The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 gives police and local communities the power to tackle these problems as well as the more serious violence caused by guns and knives.

The powers in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 include:

a civil order to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder - a Drinking Banning Order (DBO).
creation of Alcohol Disorder Zones - to ensure that licensed premises take collective responsibility for alcohol-related disorder.
the power for police to impose 48-hour bans on pubs and clubs persistently selling alcohol to minors.
the maximum penalty for possession of a knife in a public place without good reason doubled from 2 years to 4 years.
tougher sentences for carrying imitation firearms.
a new offence of using another person to hide or carry guns.
increasing the age limit for buying a knife, air weapon or crossbow to 18.

National Violence Strategy

In February 2008 the Home Office published its Action Plan for Violence 2008 to 2011, entitled `Saving Lives, Reducing Harm, Protecting the Public`. This outlined the measures to be implemented by Government and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in their efforts to reduce violent crime.

The Government has undertaken to complete a number of actions:

Deliver a national communications campaign designed to combat knife possession among young people.
Develop a communications strategy for sexual and domestic violence by the end of 2008.
Introduce Violent Offender Orders (VOOs, see below).
Introduce new controls on deactivated firearms.
Produce a cross-government hate crime strategy.

The Government expects CDRPs to:

Consider establishing a strategic group on violent crime.
Produce a problem profile on violent crime.
Develop a local violent crime action plan, to address identified local priorities.
Create a local Sexual Violence Forum to monitor the local response to sexual violence.

Violent Crime in Devon 2004 to 2008

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary referring to statistics as at 31 March 2008 produced a study of local Violent Crime. The key findings were:

Total violent crime in Devon in 2007/08 fell by 27.6% compared with the baseline year of 2004/05, and by 8.9% against 2006/07.

Violent Crime Overall
Violent crime* in Devon in 2007-08 was 8.9% lower than in the previous year. However, Mid Devon saw a slight increase (4.7%). (*excluding harassment, common assault and sexual offences.)

Use of Weapons

The use of weapons in violent crimes in Devon as a whole fell by 9.1% compared to the previous year; in North Devon this fell by 28.2% but in Torridge rose by 21.7%. (However this represented only very small numbers with 46 incidents in 06/06 and 56 in 07/06). The proportion of crime involving the use of weapons was more than 10% below the national figure (13.7% Devon 07/08 compared to 24% nationally).

Offenders

39% of offenders in the period 2004-2008 were from the 18-30 age group, and 21% from the under 18s.
The peak age for offending was 18.
78% of offenders were male.

Victims

The same proportions applied to the age distribution of victims.
The peak age for victimisation was 18.
In the case of over 1,700 victims, the age was not recorded.
Of those whose age was recorded, 59.6% were male.

Offenders under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs

The number of violent offenders under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Devon fell by 12.7% against the previous year, whilst the proportion of offenders aged 18-30 has remained steady at 47-48%, those in the 31-50 group have fallen from 37% in 2004/05 to 30% in 2007/08. Over the same period the proportion of those who are aged under 18 has increased from 12% to 16%. This represented a reduction of 44.2% against the figure for 2004-05.
Torridge saw a decrease of 33% and 34.2% respectively.

Violence in a Public Place

Violence in a public place in Devon in 2007-08 was 1.6% higher than in the previous year; violence in a public place as a proportion of total violent crime was also higher than in 2006-07 (up from 59.2% to 66%).

Violence in Licensed Premises

Violent crime in licensed premises in Devon has fallen steadily since 2004-05; in 2007-08 it was 10.6% lower than in the previous year.
However, it has increased as a proportion of total violent crime, and now forms just over 17% of all violent crime in the county.

Sexual Offences

Nationally, sexual offences fell by 8% in the 12 months to December 2007.* (*Crime in England and Wales, Quarterly Update to December 2007, Home Office).
Sexual offences in Devon fell by 2% compared with 2006-07, but rose by 2.3% compared with 2004-05 (up from 524 offences to 536).
However, these offences rose significantly in Exeter (by 18%), North Devon (32.8%) and South Hams (28.8%). Much of the apparent increase in these areas is accounted for by late reporting of offences which occurred in earlier years (in the case of one Exeter offence, as early as 1969).

Repeat Offending

18.6% of the violent crime in Devon between April 2004 and March 2008 was committed by repeat offenders.
Out of those offences where we know the offender in Devon as a whole, repeat offenders were responsible for 36.6% of violent crime, in North Devon, this percentage rose to 42.1%.

Our Local Response to Violent Crime (including Domestic Violence and Abuse)

In North Devon we benefit from a joint response to Violent Crime with the formation of the North Devon Violent Crime Group. This Violent Crime profile for Devon and other ongoing evidence is used to define current priority projects for our area.

This group is made up of all agencies that have an interest in preventing and responding to Violent Crime including Domestic Violence and Abuse. These include District and County Councils, Police, Primary Care Trust, North Devon Women's Aid, Alcohol Treatment Services, Magistrate's Court, Devon Fire and Rescue Service and others, as the problem solving requires. The group considers the evidence of local trends and responds with an ongoing joint action plan with the sole aim of reducing Violent Crime in our area and improve support services for those who are victims.

The current main priority for this group is "Managing the Night-Time Economy to Reduce Violent Crime". This is a new group, with new priorities.

Further Information

Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls: a Strategy
This cross-government strategy sets out a coordinated approach to ending violence against women and girls. It includes a range of actions for the police, councils, the NHS and government departments across three areas: prevention, provision and protection. It was informed by your views, gathered in a public consultation, which ran over three months between March and May 2009.

Domestic Violence

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In an emergency always dial 999

NORTH DEVON WOMEN’S AID (NDWA)
Working to end violence towards Women & Children

NDWA has provided a service to abused women and their children since 1975.

We continue to offer safe, temporary accommodation to any woman who needs refuge. Whilst with us, women have the opportunity to make decisions about their future away from pressure and fear. Children in the refuge are supported by our Children & Young People Worker.

In addition we provide an Outreach service which offers support and advice to any woman who, for whatever reason, does not need or wish to come into the refuge. As well as telephone support, women are welcome to come in to our outreach office to talk to us, or we can arrange for an outreach worker to visit women in their own homes or in a suitable neutral place if they prefer.

NDWA run several courses for women and also hold regular drop-ins.
We also have Children’s outreach workers.

For more details phone 01271 321946 (main office) or 01271 370079 (outreach office)

Men Safe: Domestic Violence and Abuse Service for Men
Men Safe has opened up to self-referrals. There have been big awareness raising campaigns across Devon during Domestic Violence Awareness Week involving local media. Domestic violence and abuse can affect everyone including men and a service for men is available in Devon.

If you are a man and you are in an abusive relationship, please contact Men Safe for support and advice.

For more information on how to make a referral or for advice, please contact:
Christine Fritsch (Exeter, East and Mid Devon, North Devon and Torridge)
Telephone: 07966 967526
Email: midva@safe-services.org.uk

Dave McKeown (South and West Devon) on:
Telephone: 01364 643866 or 07917 106884
Email: david@domesticviolenceandabuseservice.org.uk

For Further Help, Support and Advice

Please contact:

Women’s Aid National Helpline: 0808 2000247
Police Domestic Violence Units - North Devon: 01271 313446 or 01271 313444
Victim Support: 01626 356695
Rape & Sexual Abuse Line: Freephone 0808 800 0188

Further Information

Please find below websites which contain useful information on Domestic Violence.

Against Domestic Violence & Abuse in Devon - www.adva.org.uk - you can see the latest ADVA Newsletter here

Broken Rainbow
Offering advice, support and referral services to LGBT people experiencing homophobic, transphobic and same sex domestic violence.

Refuge
Provide a range of services nationally including a 24 hours a day, seven days a week helpline for women experiencing domestic violence, specialist refuges, outreach services and awareness raising for women who experience Domestic Violence and Abuse.

The White Ribbon Campaign
The WRC is the largest effort in the world of men working to end men's violence against women. It relies on volunteer support and financial contributions from individuals and organizations.

Women's Aid
Women's Aid is the National Domestic Violence Charity that helps up to 250,000 women and children every year.

They work to end violence against women and children, and support over 500 domestic and sexual violence services across the country.

Music Against Domestic Abuse (MADA)
MADA is the acronym for music against domestic abuse which was formed in November 2005. MADA's aim is to highlight the issues surrounding domestic abuse to as many people as possible and to bring this secret out into the open.

Devon Rape & Sexual Abuse Helpline
The Line offers a listening service for people over 16 years, living in Devon, who have been raped or sexually abused, either recently or in the past. We also offer support for partners, families and friends and provide information about other agencies.

Tough New Powers to Help Victims Break Cycle of Domestic Violence - 29th September 2009
Violent partners will be banned from their homes and their victims given support to escape abuse under new proposals due to be unveiled by Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

Police will be able to intitiate a Domestic Violence Protection Order, also known as 'Go' orders, barring perpetrators of domestic violence from their homes for up to a fortnight, giving their victim breathing space to consider their options.

For Young People

The Hideout
Women's Aid have created this space to help children and young people to understand domestic abuse, and how to take positive action if it's happening to you.

Ur Not Alone
A website designed for children and young people giving information on what domestic violence and abuse is and how to stay safe.