Victims Bill and female only abuse support for female victims

E. Thomas made this Freedom of Information request to Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.

This request has been withdrawn by the person who made it. There may be an explanation in the correspondence below.

E. Thomas
Delivered

Dear Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner,

I understand the Victims and Prisoners Bill will introduce a new statutory requirement on commissioners of victims’ services, known as the ‘duty to collaborate’. This will require Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and local authorities to work together when commissioning support services for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse and other serious violence.

Unfortunately in Bristol there are currently no female only abuse support services. Even the services which say online or in their charitable objectives they are 'by women for women' and/or for survivors dealing with the aftermath of domestic, sexual abuse and coercive control - have said there aren't any and they are in fact mixed sex. Female survivors of male abuse who need single sex services are currently left with no accessible support at all. Some have contacted 'female' abuse support organisations to ask for help on police advice and then found the service is mixed sex.

Please advise
1- how the commissioner is collaborating with councils and ICB to develop single sex services for female victims of abuse currently excluded from help, before the Victim's Bill comes into force. If not, please advise.
2- what other plans the commissioner/ police have to fulfil their statutory duty to ensure there are accessible single sex services for female victims of male abuse. If none, please advise.
4- if the commissioner or police know of any single sex abuse services in your area for female abuse survivors (all the ones online we have checked are mixed sex) , please advise
5- what action the commissioner and force will take to ensure police officers only refer female abuse survivors to female only services if this is what they request, or advise victims when no accessible abuse support is available locally

Yours faithfully,

E. Thomas

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Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office

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Bristol BS20 8JJ

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5 Attachments

Dear Mr/Ms Thomas,

 

Freedom of Information request

 

Thank you for your FOI request submitted on 18^th April 2024 via email.

 

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner’s office have now
completed the search for information and the response is attached.

 

Thank you for your interest.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Rebecca

 

 

Rebecca Maye

Freedom of Information Officer

Avon & Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner

 

 

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