“These figures are a positive step in supporting victims and ensuring they are signposted to the right services that are then able to provide appropriate care.”
In the first year where Manchester’s police force recorded domestic violence incidents between same-sex and LGBT+ couples, 775 incidents were recorded.
Last year the force created the D66 code, specifically to record incidents of domestic violence between LGBT+ couples.
It is hoped that recording these incidents will identify trends and patterns which will help implement appropriate practices to support survivors of domestic abuse.
“Positive Step”
Detective Superintendent Denise Worth from Greater Manchester Police said, “These figures are a positive step in supporting victims and ensuring they are signposted to the right services that are then able to provide appropriate care.
“The D66 coding is a simple process which enables us to identify the community affected and provide local authorities with latest figures which allows them to commission relevant services to support victims.
“Our findings and processes have also been shared nationally and we hope this will assist other forces in adopting their own practices to help those victims.”
The Force is also continuing its partnership with the national LGBT domestic abuse helpline at Galop to better understand the issues surrounding domestic abuse in the LGBT community and encourage victims and friends and family of victims to report the issue and have the confidence to come forward.
Peter Kelley Head of Domestic Abuse Service at Galop said, “Every day staff at our National LGBT Domestic Abuse Helpline are contacted by LGBT+ people looking for help and support with domestic abuse and violence. It’s really important that victims and survivors get the help they need without facing additional barriers because of their sexuality and gender identity. Galop fully supports the continued efforts of Greater Manchester Police to increase the number of LGBT+ people reporting domestic abuse through the D66 initiative and we hope that its success over the last year will encourage other police forces across the UK to adopt similar initiatives.”
Joanne Simpson, manager at Independent Choices said, “The implementation of the D66 code has revolutionised accessible and appropriate support for LGBT domestic abuse survivors. Independent Choices are proud to offer a domestic abuse support service that is Greater Manchester-wide in partnership with the LGBT Foundation. GMP using this code has meant that the service has run to capacity from the offset and that barriers have been broken down enabling LGBT Victim/survivors to receive appropriate, timely and accessible support.”
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Bev Hughes said: “Greater Manchester has led the way as the first area to record domestic abuse within LGBT communities and now, one year on, we can show the positive impact of this work. This reporting code is giving us a clearer picture of abuse, helping to break down barriers and encourage people to report it.
“Vitally, this also means that we can ensure the right services are in place to support victims of domestic abuse while continuing to work with LGBT people to raise awareness of domestic abuse and empower more people to take that first step to seek help and support.”
