Richmond Upon Thames Borough Follow Up Response to MPA Domestic and Sexual Violence Board

Report: 3
Date: 4 December 2009

Introduction

On 12 June 2009 Richmond Upon Thames BOCU appeared before the MPA DSVB. As a result of that appearance the DSVB requested clarification of four points. For ease of reference these points will be addressed individually as follows:

1. Some clarity on the prevalence of male victims and whether there are a considerable number of counter-allegations which may have skewed the data presented to the DSVB:

Our initial report to the DSVB showed the gender of victims as follows:

• 462 were female;
• 133 male;
• 3 Not Stated.

Further research (although it should be noted that this relies upon interpretation and/or the Investigating Officer recording the fact this was a counter-allegation on the CRIS report) revealed:

• Approximately 2% of male victims were in same sex relationships;
• Approximately 11% of male victims were counter-allegations.

2. Further details on the disability data. There was a prevalence noted of victims with a learning disability and what, if anything, is being developed by way of a specialist response by BOCU:

The numbers are statistically very low (2). However this BOCU liaised with the MPS CSU Delivery team who are currently undertaking work to improve the way the MPS capture disability data so that it can be more readily retrieved and analysed.

Additionally, since appearing at the DSVB this BOCU has directly participated in the Local Authority ‘Annual Elder Abuse Conference’. It has also participated in a full day event entitled ‘Keep Well Keep Safe’ which was aimed specifically at people with disabilities and their carers. It would be fair to say this was a very large, well attended event that enabled the BOCU to publicise its commitment towards disability issues. The BOCU received significant positive feedback.

This BOCU has also appointed a Detective Sergeant as the Single Point of Contact for all disability related issues.

3. A proposition on what the BOCU could do to access service feedback from survivors of domestic and sexual abuse:

This BOCU is required to comply with MPS policy on this issue which currently permits:

• User Satisfaction Survey, at a BOCU level, canvases approximately 640 victims each month. The criteria for the survey specifically excluded any offences flagged as DV and sexual offences. (This is an MPS policy decision as the sensitivity of these offences makes this kind of survey inappropriate).
• The last Public Attitude Survey for Quarter 3 of 2008/9 details those taking part in the survey. ‘Chapter 6: Contact with Police Victimisation measure: Respondents or other household member has been a victim of crime in the past 12 months’, 7% of the 640 respondents answered yes to this question. There is no breakdown as to the types of crimes. Since the Survey is postcode based there is a small probability that some of the respondents will have been a victim of DV or sexual violence (This survey is carried out by an outside agency).
• There is no direct measure of satisfaction of these victims corporately due to the extreme sensitivity of their circumstances.
• Quality Call Back again specifically excludes these crime categories for the same reason.

4. An assessment of success of the large plasma screens, and whether consideration could be given to their use with regards to other forms of violence against women such as serious sexual offences?

To date no meaningful assessment re the success of the screens has been undertaken. However they have the capacity to show "still slides" for 15 seconds or "film clips" of approximately 30 seconds long. It is a visual system only not audio and runs on a 30 minute loop with news, weather and sport update. We display slides and films on domestic violence but not on serial sexual offences. However arrangement are in hand to extend this to appropriate serious sexual offences.

Contact details

Report authors: DCS Turner B.Ed. DI Joe Farrell, BA(Hons). PGC. Richmond Upon Thames BOCU

Date: 4 November 2009

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