Support for the APCC call for a cross-departmental Covid-19 strategy on domestic abuse

Jeff Cuthbert Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent said, “I fully support The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners call for a cross-departmental Covid-19 strategy on domestic abuse. It is clear that domestic violence is already significantly under-reported in our communities and can have terrible impacts on the lives of victims, their families and their friends. Home should be a place of safety, but for many it is not.

“The national lockdown means that we expect incidents to increase and I would urge anyone experiencing it not to suffer in silence, but to speak out. The Chief Constable Pam Kelly and I have been very clear that Gwent Police, and our partner agencies, are here to help. The UK Government must provide additional funding to help the specialist agencies deal with the challenges that they are facing in offering advice and support to keep victims safe.”