Enhancing support for people experiencing domestic abuse to bring justice to perpetrators 

A recent operation aimed at enhancing support for people experiencing domestic abuse has shown promising results in increasing victim engagement with police and support services, as well as bringing perpetrators to justice through increased evidence and information gathering.  

The initiative, which was a repeat of a previous trial across Bristol, was a collaboration between Avon and Somerset Police and Somerset Council’s Domestic Abuse Service (provided by The YOU Trust), focusing on improving victim engagement and support through a proactive, partnership-led response. 

By using a dedicated response car manned by a police officer and an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA), the initiative provided in-person specialised assistance to people experiencing domestic abuse following the arrest of an alleged perpetrator.  

Crucially, these visits took place within 24 hours of a suspect being arrested – a critical time period when victims are most in need of support and more likely to engage with available services.  

This targeted response approach ensured that victims received not only law enforcement intervention but also direct access to advocacy and emotional support at a pivotal moment.  

Officers and IDVAs worked together to encourage victims to share additional information, consider formal police action, and engage with ongoing support services and safeguarding. 

Over the course of 36 deployments, in-person contact was established in 27 cases (75%). Among those individuals: 

• 44% (12 of 27) provided additional accounts or materials to the police. 

• 29% (8 of 27) supported formal police action. 

• 66% (8 of 12) of those who provided additional material went on to give formal evidence. 

• 77% (21 of 27) engaged with Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) or accepted onward referrals to support services. 

These results not only meant more people accessed support and safeguarding but also allowed police to build stronger cases to bring perpetrators of domestic abuse to justice and prevent it from happening in the future.  

One person that officers engaged with led to an additional 5 years of controlling and coercive behaviour and domestic abuse offending being uncovered, with the victim going on to provide vital evidence and support a police investigation. The suspect was subsequently charged and remanded to prison awaiting trial, which may not have been possible without the additional information that the officer and IDVA gathered from building up trust with the victim.   

Detective Inspector Matt Cable said: “The findings are highly reflective of those observed in the first pilot phase which is encouraging to see. It reinforces the effectiveness of this approach in enhancing victim engagement and support. The high level of engagement with IDVA services highlights the importance of having these specialist support services involved at this early stage, as this window allows victims to access help when they may feel most vulnerable and open to intervention. 

“As part of the ongoing evaluation, we will be looking compare the results to a control group of cases from the South of our force area, to further assess the impact of this interventions. This will provide us with the essential comparative data to understand best practice when looking forward to future implementation across Avon and Somerset.”   

Team Manager Angela Stone from the Somerset Domestic Abuse Service said:  

“The opportunity to visit clients and liaise with and share knowledge with the response officers has been an incredibly valuable experience. We have been able to reach victims at a crucial time to consider safety planning and share information about their options and the available support we can offer and think creatively about trauma informed responses to best support victims safely.” 

The continued collaboration between police, IDVAs, and support services remains critical in improving outcomes for domestic abuse victims. These findings demonstrate the importance of an approach centred around people experiencing domestic abuse, to foster trust and encourage engagement, as well as taking a proactive approach to bringing offenders to justice.