MoJ Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Funds

Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Kathryn Holloway, launched (Thursday 21 May) a new fund for services supporting Domestic Abuse and Serious Violence victims during the Covid-19 pandemic, distributing £169,000 from the Ministry of Justice after a rise in violence within the home nationally.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) allocated funds made up of £113,000 for services the Police and Crime Commissioner already commissions and a further £56,500 for additional projects.

The fund was advertised by the Bedfordshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and partners were invited to an online meeting where the fund distribution was explained and discussed against the needs of victims, identified by charities and victim support organisations in the county.

The application process closed on Friday 5 June and applications were reviewed with an ambition to support organisations and charities of all sizes, reaching as many victims across the county as possible. Applications needed to address how the funding would support the rise seen in Domestic Abuse during the pandemic and had to relate to the following areas:

· IDVAs; Independent Domestic Violence Advisors
· CHIDVAs; Child focused Independent Domestic Violence Advisors
· Family Court support
· Face to face or remote counselling for individuals and/or their families
· Support for particular groups such as Disabled, LGBT victims or those from Black and Minority Ethnic community groups.

The following organisations were awarded funds:

Bedfordshire Police Partnership Trust

The Safer Luton Partnership

Home Start

ACCM UK

Reactiv8 the Nation CIC

Living Your Life (Bedfordshire)

Luton All Women Centre

Counselling Foundation

Mindfulness Support Service CIC

The Hope Programme

FACES

TOKKO Ltd.

Embrace

Azalea

The projects Commissioner Holloway is supporting range from specialist counselling advice to secure smart devices to allow victims of Domestic Abuse to access ongoing help without having to share a phone, tablet or computer while under the care of the Bedfordshire Family Drug and Alcohol Courts, working to keep families together in care proceedings.