Councils set to approve new domestic abuse strategy to make Northamptonshire place where 'abuse is neither tolerated nor hidden'

The countywide strategy, which will also go to North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) next week, aims to make the area “a place where abuse is neither tolerated nor hidden, where victims are believed and supported, and where perpetrators are consistently challenged and prevented from causing further harm”.

The joint project, which will be in place until 2030 if approved, covers five key areas of early intervention and prevention, support and protection for all victims and survivors, trust and confidence, coordinated community response and partnership working, and holding perpetrators accountable.

However, the Labour Group on WNC has put forward recommendations to strengthen the strategy before its adoption, including prioritising early intervention through family hubs, restoring funding to survivors’ support groups, and setting up a community sounding board to monitor progress.

The group also highlighted a warning that negative language, including in social media posts, can undo years of work in tackling domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.

Councillor Sally Keeble, Labour Group leader, said: “The strategy has to be more than words. There needs to be sustainable funding for support services for women affected by abuse, and joined-up working by all public agencies.

“Far too many women affected by domestic abuse suffer in silence. The council needs to work with partners and the community to end the violence.”

Domestic abuse and sexual violence affect people across all communities. It is estimated that there are around 10,400 female victims of domestic abuse each year in North Northamptonshire and 9,950 in the West.

While women and girls are disproportionately affected, the strategy says it also recognises that men and boys can experience domestic abuse and sexual violence, often facing additional barriers to recognition and support.

The council report estimates that approximately 49,262 women in North Northamptonshire and 47,510 in the West will experience abuse within their lifetime, compared to 24,613 men in North Northamptonshire and 23,560 in the West expected to experience domestic abuse.

Concerns were raised at a police, fire and crime panel meeting on April 30, which scrutinised the force’s response to domestic abuse, that its core focus on preventing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) could risk excluding male victims from coming forward.

Councillor Vinnie Whitrow (Hatton Park, Reform UK) said: “The domestic side of life for men exists and boys exists and I’m a little bit concerned that you’ve just gone women and girls.

“Any person that’s suffered with domestic violence, whether it be a male, female, same sex relationship, they all should be supported, they all should be looked at and not just have one particular group singled out.

“If it’s just women and girls it makes men feel ‘I don’t count’, because men’s lives matter as well, you see. That’s my only concern with it, is it doesn’t go wide enough.”

Northamptonshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, Danielle Stone, told the panel that national statistics suggest 85 percent of domestic abuse victims were women and that violence against women and girls makes up 93 per cent of all violent crime.

She added: “There’s no way that any of the agencies would ignore men in danger from any form of violence and abuse.

“The reason why we are talking about violence against women and girls is because it’s been called a national threat, there is a national epidemic and it is gendered. We need to recognise it for what it is.”

According to the OPFCC, approximately 20 percent of all policing demand within the county relates to domestic abuse incidents.

The joint Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (DASV) Partnership board between West and North Northants will monitor key targets such as ensuring routine enquiries about domestic abuse and sexual violence are completed during outreach with other council and health services, that there is an increase in evidence-led prosecution rate for perpetrators, and more victims report feeling ‘believed, supported and safe’.

The effect on children is also a key thread throughout the plan and further targets for 100 per cent of schools delivering healthy relationships/consent education and for children in domestic abuse-affected households receiving needs assessments have also been set.

The board will also carry out a mid-point review in 2028 to assess progress and ensure the strategy reflects emerging evidence.

Councillor Charlie Hastie, cabinet member for housing and communities at WNC, said: “Domestic abuse and sexual violence are often complex, hidden crimes, and we know that many victims and survivors never come forward. That is why this strategy places such strong emphasis on understanding not just the data, but the real experiences behind it.

“Alongside monitoring the delivery of actions, the Partnership will track a clear set of activity indicators and outcome measures to help us understand how effectively the system is working and where improvements are needed.

“However, numbers alone never tell the full story. We will always balance quantitative data with lived experience insights, practitioner learning and wider contextual evidence, ensuring our approach remains victim‑centred, informed and responsive.

“Our ambition is to create safer communities across West Northamptonshire—where victims are supported to rebuild their lives, services are trusted and accessible, and those who cause harm are challenged and held to account.”