Domestic Abuse and Honour Based Violence
The Constabulary categories it’s safeguarding and investigation work with vulnerable people under the heading of “Public Protection” and this includes Domestic Abuse (DA) and Honour Based Violence (HBV). These Public Protection areas are linked and share a common theme that has four core activities; Risk Assessment, Inter Agency Working, Information Sharing, and Risk Management.
It is also something that knows no social-economic boundaries and so it can affect anyone who has any of the protected characteristics as described in the Equality Act 2010.
The Constabulary currently records around 24,000 DA incidents per year for the two counties, with comparable national data available on the following link:
The Constabulary ensures that it remains up to date with all the current national best practice (such as the joint 2008 Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) guidance) and this is clearly reflected within our force polices and procedures that recognise the need to sometimes treat a person, with a relevant protected characteristic, more favourably.
However, a “gap in service” has been nationally recognised. That young people aged 16 and 17 are not covered under the existing definition of DA (the definition age being 18 or over) and so the Home Office has engaged a national consultation process about this matter. In the meantime and until a final decision has been reached, the Constabulary will continue to utilise its Child Protection procedures to investigate DA and HBV incidents for the under 18’s. More details about this consultation are on the link below:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/news/domestic-violence-consultation
DASH Risk Assessment
An example of how the Constabulary has evolved with respect of Domestic Abuse policy and practice was the launch, in June 2010, of the ACPO approved DA, Stalking, Harassment and HBV (DASH) risk identification, assessment and management model. This tool now helps all operational police officers to identify and manage DA risk and is a positive step for any victims who have one of the protected characteristics. For example, if HBV is suspected then the risk is automatically defaulted to either a “medium” or “high” risk. High risk cases are then referred to the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) and given support by a specialist domestic violence officer from the Public Protection Department
The aim of DASH is to;
To prevent a homicide and to stop someone from suffering serious harm.
To target the perpetrators of domestic abuse.
To focus our priority on those most at risk.
To install victim confidence and to offer abetter safety planning regime.
To reduce the level of risk to victims.
To reduce the number of repeat victims
Training
Training with respect of DA and HBV plays an important role with regard to Hampshire Constabulary’s obligations under the Equality Act, both internally and externally. Experience in managing cases both locally and nationally has led to improvement in how the force respond to and deals with DA and HBV crime and this has been a continual theme in training across the organisation.
New police officers receive a substantial DA and HBV training input as part of their initial training and likewise so do all new call takers in the control room. This training and professional development continues throughout their careers, with additional inputs blended in by way of frontline training, e-learning and specialist training, if officers/staff later move into Public Protection or complex criminal investigation work.
In 2010 all operational officers received update training in HBV as well as training in the new Domestic Violence DASH Risk Assessment Process. Since this time, members of the Public Protection department have assisted in delivering training on Domestic Violence and DASH to over 500 professionals from other agencies including the NHS, voluntary sector and local authority. Training has also been given to all control room members of staff through a ‘train the trainers’ programme and introduction of a Domestic Abuse booklet that helps controllers assess the needs of people who call the police in relation to Domestic Abuse incidents. The importance of dealing with people in a sensitive and professional manner and being mindful of the equality/diversity needs of victims and witnesses is imbedded in all these training plans.
A DVD giving advice on supporting people who experience Domestic Violence has also been developed in conjunction with Southampton University for use by other agencies.
The Constabulary has always embraced the principles of “Achieving Best Evidence (ABE)” for victims of crime (as well as when we deal with suspects) who may well have one of the protected characteristics. This is especially true for vulnerable adults (under Chapter 4 of ABE) and the Constabulary regularly funds “intermediaries” to help facilitate communication to enable them to achieve equal access to justice. Key groups of officers within the Public Protection Department (Child Abuse Investigation teams and Vulnerable Adult Investigation teams) have received specialist, nationally accredited interview training to enable them to interview vulnerable victims and witnesses.
Specialist interview trained officers receive regular updates on case law, changes to guidance and best practice on a quarterly basis.
Public Protection Department
In 2011 the various OCU Public Protection Units were combined with the Specialist Investigations Department to form a new Public Protection Department which has responsibility for Domestic Violence and HBV to integrate investigation, offender management and safeguarding planning to take into account the needs of the victim and to improve the management of risk. Work to amalgamate the different Public Protection teams is still underway and the formation of a single department will assist in ensuring a consistent response to victims of domestic violence and HBV across the force.
The new department has a Strategy and Compliance Unit which will enable the department to audit and inspect ongoing investigations to ensure that the force is providing a sensitive and professional response to victims of Domestic Abuse and HBV and to make improvements where appropriate.
A key function of the Public Protection Department is to undertake statutory Serious Case Reviews with other partner agencies which involves children, vulnerable adults, MAPPA offenders or Domestic Homicide Reviews. Where appropriate, these reviews include reference to whether the agencies involved were mindful of equality and diversity issues in their dealings with the victim/family.
As of January 2012, the findings of all Serious Case Reviews will be presented at the force Review Oversight Panel chaired by ACC Crime and Criminal Justice to ensure that the recommendations from Serious Case Reviews have oversight by the Chief Officer Group and that learning from the reviews is imbedded in policy and practice.
Public Protection representatives sit on a number of strategic multi agency professional boards to ensure that DA and HBV receives the widest possible coverage and that none of the issues pertaining to people with protected characteristics is lost and that the views of service users is heard and understood (e.g. HBV Strategic Action Group, Adult Safeguarding boards etc).
The Police Authority Community Engagement committee also receive regular updates on the work being undertaken and the latest report regarding HBV. The most recent update 
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This page was last updated on 31 January 2012. © Copyright Hampshire Police Authority 2012.