Domestic and Sexual Violence in Lambeth: overview of the work of SCD2 and the Borough Operational Command Unit

Report: 4
Date: 4 December 2009

1. DV/Sexual Violence in Lambeth – quantitative background

　Diversity

Administration 

2. DV/Sexual Violence in Lambeth – qualitative background

2.1. Currently, work on domestic and sexual violence in Lambeth is broadly organised as follows:

1. MPS SCD2 – investigate all reported rapes, penetrations and serious sexual offences. The unit’s caseload is typically in the region of 110 ongoing investigations. This includes all live cases including those in the process of going to court. SCD2 Sapphire at Lambeth has a full time strength of 1 DI, 3 DS 9 DC, 7 SOIT officers and an office manager. The Sapphire team at Lambeth receives strategic direction and leadership from the senior management of SCD2 comprising a DCI, Detective Superintendent and Detective Chief Superintendent. It is important to note that although the Sapphire team at Lambeth take responsibility for all rapes and serious sexual offences on the borough, they have access to all the resources of SCD2 throughout London. This is particularly pertinent outside normal office hours when the scale of the SCD2 operation provides a resilience that individual boroughs cannot match.
2. MPS BOCU – Lambeth Borough maintains a Community Safety Unit that manages all reports of domestic violence. Recently relocated to Brixton Police Station, CSU is responsible for investigating cases of Domestic Violence, Hate Crime, Safeguarding Adults at Risk (SAAR) and reports of Honour Based Violence and Forced Marriage. The unit is led by a Detective Inspector with four Detective Sergeants responsible for four teams of investigators. There are currently 14 investigators on the unit. In addition, a newly recruited Detective Sergeant is responsible for maintaining and developing our partnership activity and Community Engagement including supervisory responsibility for MARAC and Safeguarding Adults at Risk where there are a further three members of staff employed. Including non-crime incidents the unit will deal with somewhere in the region of 4500 cases each year and each investigator manages a workload of between 10 to 15 live investigations.
3. CDRP/Council – the borough’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, Safer Lambeth, and Lambeth Council provide, commission and coordinate a range of domestic violence services in the borough. The Domestic Violence team based in the Council’s Adults and Community Services Department lead on the coordinated community response to domestic violence in Lambeth, which includes the implementation of the borough’s Domestic Violence Strategy. The Community Safety team, also based in ACS, lead on the delivery of the sexual violence agenda in the borough.

3. Policy compliance and quality assurance

Use of risk assessment and risk management tools

3.1. The BOCU and SCD2 support victims and tackle offending through the effective use of risk assessment and management tools and Standard Operating Procedures.

3.2. The BOCU – risk managing domestic violence incidents
Risk management proceeds from the point of initial report, through the investigation to conclusion and beyond if the case is the subject of MARAC referral. The process is as follows:

• initial risk assessment by the officer in attendance using SPECSS+ risk management tool;
• application of the RARA model (Remove/avoid/reduce/accept the risk) to indicate whether the victim is high, medium or low risk;
• completion of form 124d which is then subject to supervision by first line managers who review the risk assessment and update the CRIS report;
• screening of the crime and review of the risk assessment by a CSU supervisor with confirmation on the CRIS report having regard to cases that have been subject to MARAC or which represent repeat victimisation.
• regular reviews throughout the course of the investigation by the investigating officer reviewing the risk level and applying RARA as appropriate;
• carrying out a Part 2 risk assessment where the initial risk assessment is medium or high, with risk reviewed by supervisors as part of their ongoing supervision process.

3.3. Referral to the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) [1] is the key element of assessing and managing risk for these cases in Lambeth. There is mandatory referral for those cases assessed as high risk and an emergency MARAC will be convened in the highest risk cases (which has happened on two occasions in the last 12 months). Cases can also be referred to MARAC by the partner agencies for any particular case where it is felt that a multi-agency approach would be beneficial.

3.4. The standard referral threshold for MARAC is 3 offences or 5 incidents within the previous 12 months. To ensure we capture all cases that fall within this definition, a monthly download of all DV cases is manually cross checked for name spelling accuracy as errors here can significantly impact on identification of all repeat victims. In addition, repeat victims are given a mandatory referral to the Lambeth DV Support Centre (the GAIA centre) and for cases that result in a suspect being charged there is mandatory referral to Camberwell Green Court IDVA.

3.5. The referral rate since MARAC was established has increased from less than 10 to between 20 and 30 cases a month. Since the MARAC began, the number of people that are considered as repeat victims has reduced from 210 (Year to 31/7/07) to 174 (Year to 31/7/09), a reduction of 18%.

3.6. Use of form 124D is a mandatory requirement for officers dealing with DV incidents. In July 2009, the compliance rate was 92.5%, with Lambeth ranked 10th of all MPS Boroughs. CSU supervisors monitor compliance and quality assurance with all forms reviewed on submission and first line managers required to complete a DV supervision entry on the CRIS report. This includes whether form 124 was completed and whether the suspect was arrested. Where a form has not been completed, the investigating officer will make contact with the victim to assess the level of risk based on the same criteria contained within the book 124 (ie SPECSS+).

3.7. All victims of domestic violence are provided with a DV support pack (except where this is assessed as increasing the risk to the victim) and this contains information on local and national DV support groups and a covering letter from the CSU manager. In most cases victims are also referred and provided with contact details for the GAIA centre.

3.8. SCD2 – risk managing rape incidents
The Sapphire team work to a newly formulated Standard Operating Procedure produced in consultation with key stakeholders and expert advisors. Risk assessments are part of every review and, where there is DV as well as sexual violence, the Part 2 risk assessment is completed. Risk assessments relate to victim risk and risks to the public.

3.9. Three sergeants are now on the Sapphire team enabling seven day supervisions to cover more detail. This means that, for stranger rapes, submissions to the Serious Crime Analysis Section at the National Police Improvement Agency are timelier in order to update the national database. The Sapphire team work closely with the Borough Forensic team with forensic strategy meetings being held for each case. All cases where there is a forensic opportunity are referred to the sexual offences referral centre at the Haven. The team also inform the CPS where appropriate in order to ensure their early involvement. This and all other aspects of the investigation are carefully monitored in the initial review by the Detective Sergeant.

3.10. Currently, there are over 100 live rape CRIS reports including pre and post charge cases. The DI leading the team maintains a spreadsheet of all live cases and there is ongoing review with cases monitored centrally by SCD2 to ensure timeliness:

• after seven days, the DI consults the SOIT log and the CRIS and meets with the officer in the case, the SOIT and if possible the DS;
• after 28 days, the regional DCI reviews the case;
• every 28 days following, the DI conducts further reviews pre and post charge.

3.11. The BOCU have provided mandatory training, presented by a SOIT officer, for all uniformed officers in how to ensure that primary investigations deal with rape allegations effectively. If there are failings in a primary investigation, the Sapphire DI deals with the matter direct, with the officer or his/her line manager to ensure that they are aware of the issue.

3.12. The first line of risk management for all Sapphire cases involves ensuring that, where possible, offenders are remanded in custody rather than present any further risk to the victim or the wider public. In cases where suspects are bailed, all available powers are used to impose and enforce rigorous bail conditions. For those charged, court appearances are always attended by a Sapphire team member – preferably the officer in the case – to ensure that any issues arising are dealt with at court promptly and effectively. Enquiries in relation to offenders circulated to be arrested for a Sapphire offence are logged on the Electronic Warrants Management System (EWMS) and these are reviewed by the Sapphire DI each month to ensure that they being progressed and that the circulation remains relevant.

3.13. Standard Operating Procedures for BOCU and SCD2
Both SCD2 and the BOCU operate to corporate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the investigation of Rape/Serious sexual assault and Domestic Violence. In relation to Domestic Violence, all new staff receive a formal face to face briefing from the Detective Inspector to ensure understanding of SOPs and how this impacts on their role and responsibilities. Compliance is monitored by supervisors and where necessary feedback is given. In terms of rape and serious sexual assault compliance is monitored as part of the formal supervisory review process. Where there is remit conflict the unit responsible for the more serious offence will take primacy. Units do however work closely where this is the case and will often work jointly with each other.

3.14 In cases of domestic rape the CSU will often work with SCD2 colleagues on risk management and victim care issues. Similarly with Child Abuse Team colleagues, some cases benefit from one investigator from each unit working together. There is a formal understanding between the heads of the CSU and CAIT that a member of each unit will deal where there is remit overlap in order that skills and experience are shared.

Domestic/sexual violence and police staff/officers

3.15 In the year to 31/7/09 there were eight reports of DV involving Police Staff. None of these reports involved Police Officers. Three involved members of Police Staff as victims, two involved Police Staff as suspects. There were two same sex incidents involving a Special Constable and the other report involved an MPS Volunteer who was charged with common assault. There were no reports of sexual violence (not involving DV) involving police officers or staff, either as victims or suspects. Six of the eight incidents were classified as crimes and two as non-crimes, with one case resulted in a caution being administered as suggested above.

3.16 Lambeth MPS follows established corporate policy in relation to dealing with cases of DV involving any of its staff. That policy mirrors the SOPs for dealing with all cases of domestic violence, placing the emphasis on positive action. The BOCU Senior Management Team sets standards, particularly supporting victims given the diversity of our workforce with occupational health support, Federation advice and welfare. All investigations where the suspect is a police officer or member of police staff are investigated strictly in line with the generic DV policy to maintain public confidence. All such reports are referred to the central CSU service delivery team who monitor the response.

4. Partnership working and the CDRP (Safer Lambeth)

Funding work domestic and sexual violence in Lambeth

4.1. The Borough’s CDRP, the Safer Lambeth Partnership, has successfully secured a number of bids for grant finance to augment funding from mainstream sources, in particular to support work with and support for victims of domestic violence. The key areas of CDRP funding allocated to domestic violence in 2009/2010 include:

• over £110,000 of Council, PCT and Local Area Agreement money is used to fund three DV coordination, project and trainer posts;
• £170,000 of funding from the Council and MPS is given to the Gaia Centre, the borough’s multi-agency DV advice and support centre;
• £100,000 from the PCT for the Mozaic IDVA project.
• £40,000 to Refuge, as part of the Local Area Agreement, to employ a full time IDVA at Camberwell Magistrates Court and £40,000 to Lambeth Victim Support to employ a full time IDVA at the Gaia Centre.

4.2. The Safer Lambeth Partnership has supported other successful funding bids including:

1. £6,000 from the Government Office for London in 2007/08 to develop and launch a domestic violence media campaign;
2. £2,850 from the Home Office in 2009/2010 for Independent Domestic Violence Advisor Training. The Gaia Centre IDVA is currently attending the CAADA training.
3. £15,000 from the Home Office Private Space Violence Fund in 2009/10 to coordinate a Violence Against Women mapping exercise and conference.

4.3. CDRP provision is heavily focused on work around domestic violence and victim support. Provision for victims of rape and sexual violence is not directly supported by Safer Lambeth, but instead has been funded on a London-wide basis by the NHS and MPS and channelled through the Haven – the sexual assault referral centre based at Kings College Hospital in Camberwell.

Domestic/sexual violence in the Strategic Assessment and Partnership Plan

4.4. The Safer Lambeth Partnership has undertaken two Strategic Assessments since the new statutory duties for CDRP’s were introduced in 2007. The third assessment, for 2009, is currently being undertaken. The first assessment, in 2007, identified violent crime as the key crime reduction priority for the borough and this included domestic and sexual violence. The second Assessment, in 2008, developed this picture with a greater emphasis on the role of alcohol in relation to violent crime – as a driver in domestic violence and as a cause of vulnerability in the night time economy. There was a concern about an apparent increase in reported rapes and sexual assaults in 2007/8 with Lambeth having one of the highest numbers of sexual offences in its CDRP ‘family’.

4.5. The Strategic Assessment supports the preparation of an annually revised Partnership Plan for the CDRP. In line with the findings of the 2007 and 2008 Strategic Assessments, the Safer Lambeth Partnership has identified reducing violent crime as its key crime reduction priority. Within this priority, there are three strategic objectives relevant to this report:

1. To reduce and respond effectively to cases of rape and serious sexual assaults.
2. To tackle domestic violence by achieving the DV stretch targets [in the LAA] and by implementing the Lambeth Domestic Violence Strategy 2008-11.
3. To improve detection of violent crime including rape (to 35% in 2009/10) and domestic violence (to 45% in 2009/10) and to increase the DV arrest rate to 70%.

4.6. For the 2009/10 revision of the Partnership Plan, Safer Lambeth agreed priority actions for rape and sexual assaults to be implemented across the Partnership:

1. To raise sanctioned detections by:
   • introducing stronger working relationship / practices, with the CPS;
   • taking a more robust approach to the case appeals process;
   • more cohesive partnership working to achieve a faster-time turnaround on advice files to achieve agreements made in the Rape Protocol;
   • robust enforcement of early arrest policy;
   • aligning shift patterns of Sexual Offences Investigative Team officers to ensure faster victim/SOIT intervention.
2. To reduce victimisation by implementing a media campaign targeting ‘hotspots’ and warning potential victims about risk (eg. tourists and visitors).
3. To ensure that all appropriate victims of rape are referred to the Haven based in Kings College Hospital in order to support reporting, evidence collection and counselling.
4. To commission new research and problem profiling to support intelligence and evidence-led operations to tackle rape and sexual assaults in the borough.

Partnership Working: the CDRP partners, BOCU and SCD2 and work on domestic and sexual violence in Lambeth

4.7. The work of the Safer Lambeth Partnership is aligned to the priorities and targets of the Partnership Plan as described above. Beneath the ‘strategic group’ that leads the CDRP, the Executive, there are five ‘Partnership Action Groups’ (or PAGs) that coordinate and lead on delivery and these are performance managed by a Partnership Delivery Group that consists of the PAG chairs and chaired by the Council’s Executive Director covering the community safety and domestic violence functions.

4.8. DV and serious sexual violence are covered by the Violent Crime PAG, chaired by the BOCU Det. Supt. serving as Borough Crime Manager. This PAG manages a Delivery Plan that comprises the targets and commitments to action from the Partnership Plan (see paras. 3.6 and 3.7, above).

4.9. Achieving the Delivery Plan requires ‘front end’ partnership arrangements working under the PAG, particularly between Council, MPS, NHS and other statutory and voluntary agencies. The key arrangements include:

(a) The Domestic violence strategic group The group have responsibility for, and lead on, the implementation of, Lambeth’s Domestic Violence Strategy. The group is chaired by the Council’s Executive Director of Adult and Community Services and the membership of the group is drawn from senior members of staff who act as the domestic violence leads in their own organisations. This includes representation from the Police, Housing, Children and Young People’s Services, Adult Mental Health, Lambeth Primary Care Trust, Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust and Lambeth First and the Lambeth Domestic Violence Forum.

(b) Domestic violence forum The domestic violence forum is a multi agency forum that meets every two months to share good practise, to raise awareness of domestic violence and to enable practitioners to stay up to date with local, regional and national policies that impact on the sector. The forum is open to any Lambeth agency that sign up to the forum Terms of Reference. The chair and the vice chair of the forum are also members of the domestic violence strategic group. This ensures that views of the forum are represented at a strategic level. The forum also produces and disseminates a monthly domestic violence e-newsletter to forum members.

The role and remit of the domestic violence forum is currently being reviewed. The findings from the VAW scoping project, due to be completed in March 2010, will inform how we develop our forum in response to, and in line with, the emerging Violence Against Women agenda.

(c) Domestic Violence Practitioners network The network is coordinated by the Lambeth Council Domestic Violence team and meets on a quarterly basis. The Practitioners network compliments the work of the Lambeth Domestic Violence Forum by focusing on front line delivery of domestic violence service provision in Lambeth. The aim of the group is to ensure that domestic violence agencies in Lambeth work together in a coordinated way in order to promote the safety and wellbeing of those experiencing domestic violence and to reduce repeat victimisation. The Police are members of the network and attend to ensure an effective partnership is maintained with the domestic violence providers.

(d) Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference Lambeth MARAC has been in operation since 2007 and meets on a monthly basis. It is coordinated by Lambeth Council and is chaired by Detective Inspector of the Lambeth Community Safety Unit. There is a clear referral criteria and threshold to ensure that there is consistent referral by MPS and other partners into the MARAC. The Lambeth Police MARAC liaison officer works with a data analyst on a monthly basis to ensure that all victims who have experienced three-plus crimes and/or five incidents are referred into the MARAC. All DV rape victims are also referred into the MARAC, in partnership with the Sapphire Team. All victims referred to the MARAC are allocated an IDVA, who will make contact prior to the MARAC to offer a support service.

Since May 2007 the Lambeth MARAC has received 364 referrals. In the last 12 month period (November ‘08-October ‘09) the Lambeth MARAC has discussed 256 cases, of which 62 have been repeat referrals (24% repeat rate). Of these 256 referrals, 121 (45%) were for victims from BME community, 249 (97%) were for female victims, 13 (5%) of the referrals were flagged as having a disability and 2 (0.8%) were flagged as from LGBT communities.

Lambeth MARAC is an area of strength for work on DV in the borough and has become an exemplar of good practice:

• MPS now intend to base their London-wide MARAC information sharing protocol on the Lambeth version;
• CAADA have completed stage one and two of the MARAC implementation process and were impressed with the multi agency buy-in to the MARAC, its coordination and operation. The MARAC partnership is now preparing for the third and final implementation stage, which will be the quality assurance stage.

4.10. Work with the Crown Prosecution Service
The Sapphire DI and the Borough Crown Prosecutor meet monthly to review all cases that are currently waiting for a charging decision plus all cases going to court. It is also an opportunity to discuss any issues arising that month. The backlog of cases has largely been cleared but the BCP acknowledges that he is under-resourced. The BCP is setting up a consultation process for case building prior to charge to be implemented in the New Year and this is welcomed by the Sapphire team.

4.11. There is also a monthly case review meeting between the CSU DI, the court based IDVA and the CPS DV specialist. This meeting looks to identify any potential weaknesses in active cases with a view to addressing them prior to the case being heard. As many cases fail due to issues around supporting the victim, the IDVAs involvement is key to securing their support and engagement throughout the process. This has contributed to a decrease in our attrition rate.

4.12 Domestic violence stretch target in Lambeth’s Local Area Agreement (2007-10)
Lambeth’s Local Area Agreement contains targets for improvement negotiated between the key partners represented on the Local Strategic Partnership, Lambeth First, and the Government Office for London. The Agreement negotiated in 2007 includes a set of ‘stretch’ targets for DV, one of only 11 areas prioritised in this way. ‘Stretch’ targets are unusual in that they attract support from Government in the form of a ‘pump priming grant’, to help lever in new ways of working to ‘stretch’ performance, and also a ‘reward grant’ if the targets are achieved.

4.13 The three year stretch targets for DV comprise of the following:

• Increase the proportion of crimes that result in a sanctioned detection to 37%;
• Decrease the proportion of crimes that are repeat crimes to 27.3% (for non-MARAC cases);
• Decrease the proportion of crimes that are repeat crimes for those victims being managed by the MARAC to 54%;
• Increase the total number of offenders brought to justice to 165.

4.14 The pump-priming grant of £120,000 has been used to fund a Domestic Violence Project Officer over a three year period (2007-2010). The DVPO manages the delivery of the partnership LAA, which includes coordination of the Lambeth MARAC.

4.15 Currently, three out of the four indicators are on target and it is expected that, by April 2010 all indicator targets will be achieved. The stretch target carries a potential reward grant of £1.1milllion. Further details of performance on the DV stretch targets are illustrated in Appendix 1 to this report.

Partnership Working: key projects/initiatives and areas of successful working

4.16 Working through the CDRP and the partnerships identified above, we have implemented a number of successful initiatives and projects in Lambeth. The key focus of our service delivery is to encourage and support victims to access specialist support, to hold perpetrators of domestic violence to account, and to prevent any further harm to those who have experienced domestic violence.

4.17 Our most successful recent initiatives include:

1. Repeat victim project – this project is an innovative response to working with repeat victims of domestic violence in Lambeth. The Lambeth Police Community Safety Unit, in partnership with the Gaia Centre, have developed bespoke information letters and packs which are sent to all victims and repeat victims of domestic violence in Lambeth. The information packs contain up to date information on local and national support services available to those experiencing domestic violence in Lambeth and a letter from the CSU DI. In addition to the information packs, the Police send details of all repeat victims to the Lambeth Council Domestic Violence Project Officer. Following a risk assessment by MPS, the Project Officer ensures that repeat victims who are not currently being supported by a local domestic violence agency are then pro-actively contacted by the Gaia Centre staff. The Gaia Centre make phone contact with repeat victims and provide further information with regards to support services available in Lambeth and offer a specialised service to each repeat victim contacted.
2. Partnership DV training programme – Lambeth Council Domestic Violence Team are currently rolling out a borough wide multi agency domestic violence training programme. The programme will cover areas such as forced marriage and honour based violence, female genital mutilation, domestic violence and BME communities, domestic violence, safety planning and risk assessment and domestic violence and the law. Domestic violence and the law training will be co-delivered with the Police Community Safety Unit MARAC liaison police officer. The training is open to all partners and is free of charge.
3. DV Media Campaign – funding of £6,000 was received from Government Office for London to develop and launch a media campaign in 2008. The campaign featured materials and messages developed in consultation with survivors of domestic violence in order to raise awareness about reporting DV and the availability of support services. For example, publicity posters were displayed up and down escalators at Brixton tube station and on London bus internal passenger panels. Posters were also displayed in key council information points throughout the borough. A postcard sized Gaia information card was also developed for distribution, using the same core designs to compliment the media campaign.
4. Violence Against Women and Girls initiative – further funding of £15,000 has been obtained from the Home Office to deliver a project on the wider violence against women and girls (VAWG) agenda in 2009/2010. The project will be used as a London pilot to better understand how local authorities might develop their approach for delivering the new VAWG agenda. The findings from the project will be shared with all London boroughs in order to support them in their development of the VAW agenda. The project includes three parts:
   • coordination of a detailed VAWG (domestic violence, sexual violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, stalking, trafficking, and “honour” based violence) mapping exercise in Lambeth, including information on services and prevalence of VAWG;
   • organisation of a Lambeth Violence Against Women and Girls working summit in March 2010, to share information from the mapping exercise, and identify areas for future development;
   • development of VAWG web pages on the Safer Lambeth website.
5. International Women’s Day 2009 DV consultation event – this was facilitated by the Greater London Domestic Violence Project. Over thirty women, who live in Lambeth and who have experienced domestic violence, attended the event to provide feedback on their experiences of service provision in the borough in relation to domestic violence. The results of this consultation have been used in the development of the new Domestic Violence Strategy thereby ensuring a focus on service users and victims of DV in the design of future service provision in the borough.
6. Lambeth Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB)/ work in schools The LSCB have provided funding to recruit a full time domestic violence education programme manager. This post will be based in the Children and Young People’s Service and will help to strengthen the links between services for adults and children. The manager will work with schools to promote a curriculum approached that contributes to the prevention, and effective response to domestic violence. This will build on the work with a theatre-based organisation called ‘Tender’ already undertaken in the borough.

In addition, the Haven (see para. 4.19, below) has a youth worker who visits schools to talk about the centre and to dispel myths about rape and sexual violence.

4.18 Specialist DV services
In addition to the successful project identified above, there are a range of specialist services supported by the CDRP and Lambeth MPS, including:

1. Gaia Centre – this is an innovative, multi-agency DV advice centre launched in May 2006 that brings together a range of essential advice and support services and agencies under one roof. Since opening, the centre has supported over 3000 women, who benefit from only having to tell their story once in order to access advice, support and practical help from a full spectrum of service providers. The Gaia Centre was highlighted in the February 2008 National Audit Office report for The Home Office – ‘Reducing the risk of violent crime’ - as an example of “…innovative interventions brought about through partnership working” and in 2008 the Gaia Centre won the London region of the Health and Social Care awards, in the 'success in partnership working' category.
2. the Refuge court-based IDVA service supports women to navigate through the criminal justice system and provides a specialist support service at court. The IDVA works closely with the Police from point of charge to ensure that the victim is provided with effective support from start to finish. At point of charge the Police OIC, with the victim’s permission, will make a referral to the court IDVAs to ensure the victim is provided with the best possible support.
3. The Asha project coordinate a resource centre that provides advocacy, advice and information to South Asian women and children or single women (16 upwards) fleeing domestic violence. The project also has a refuge which provides immediate temporary accommodation to women who are experiencing domestic violence.
4. Mozaic is an integrated domestic violence health based project, based in midwifery and genitourinary medicine at Guys and St Thomas NHS foundation trust. Health professionals in maternity and genitourinary medicine services receive one-day domestic violence training to enable them to carry out routine enquiry for domestic violence. Women who disclose domestic violence are offered a referral to the MOZAIC Independent Domestic Advisory service. The project team consists of a manager, a trainer and two Independent Domestic Violence Advisors. The IDVAs provide advocacy services to women referred via midwifery or the sexual health clinic. The MARAC police liaison officer provides training on policing of DV at the quarterly staff training days.
5. Reach IDVA project is an integrated domestic violence health based project based in the Accident and Emergency department at Guys and St Thomas NHS foundation trust. The project supports women and men in heterosexual and LGBT relationships who are or have experienced abuse. The project team consists of two IDVAs and a project manager/trainer.
6. The Sanctuary Scheme offers an alternative to homelessness for victims of domestic violence in Lambeth. The Scheme provides enhanced home security where the victim wishes to remain in their current home, and where it is assessed as safe for them to do so. The scheme is also complemented by the Lambeth domestic violence floating support service. When a sanctuary scheme is implemented the victim is also provided with the option of receiving support from the domestic violence floating support service, which provides a more holistic approach to the victim.

4.19. The Haven is a sexual assault referral centre based at Kings College Hospital, largely serving south and south-east London and provides the primary support in the borough for victims of rape and sexual violence. Lambeth MPS staff have developed an excellent working relationship with the centre; SOIT officers attend the clinic on a rota to speak to victims and to collect anonymous samples with Haven staff informing the victim so a decision can be made on further police involvement. The centre has also been very accommodating in working with MPS to help gather evidence with victims who fall outside of their remit for support and with anonymous victims where serial rape is suspected.

4.20. The Sapphire unit is working to build relationships with the many potential support agencies for victims of rape. This includes the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre in Croydon where Sapphire have supported staff training and have arranged for direct referrals to be made from RASASC direct to the Sapphire team so that victims do not have to speak first to a uniformed officer but can go direct to a SOIT officer.

5. Work with victims and communities

Victims of Domestic Violence

5.1. Lambeth Borough’s overall level of compliance with the Victims Code of Practice has historically been low. As a result this is now subject to a weekly compliance review at senior management team level. The Victim Focus Unit (VFU) has quality assurance responsibility for monitoring and ensuring updates are properly recorded. Although in the past the work of this unit was undermined by poor attendance through illness and welfare issues as well as a lack of efficient monitoring processes, this has now been addressed and VCOP performance is showing signs of improvement. DV VCOP performance was the subject of separate central monitoring due to VFU directives (VFU staff do not contact DV or hate crime victims) and has out performed overall VCOP compliance. Compliance has consistently exceeded 90% during the period covered by this report.

5.1. Separate performance data for CSUs is circulated to all crime managers on a weekly basis. Due to successive weeks demonstrating near full compliance Lambeth was removed from the distribution list in August. CSU success is attributed to supervisory focus and weekly management review.

5.3. Contact with DV victims is made or attempted on the day of the report and thereafter throughout the course of the investigation. All contacts or attempts are recorded on the ‘details of investigation’ page of the Crime Report Investigation System and confirmed by use of the VCOP page. DV cases that have resulted in a charge are referred on the day of charge to the court based Independent Domestic Violence Advocate who makes contact with the victim. The IDVA works closely with the victim throughout the CJ process updating and supporting as required. Any change in the status of cases is brought to the victim’s attention as soon as possible whether by the IDVA or Police Witness Care Unit.

5.4. The BOCU recognises the value of seeking comment and feedback from DV victims who have had contact with CSU and other services in order to improve and tailor service provision. All DV victims coming into contact with services receive support packs containing CSU contact details, advice and a letter from the CSU DI. Victims are also contacted by CSU supervisors carrying out ad-hoc quality call backs to monitor satisfaction with particular investigations. Feedback is also received from the network of IDVAs and also from MARAC members and DV practitioners.

5.5. Whilst most feedback has been neutral or positive, three out of 50 cases that were subject to QCB raised the issue that victims did not receive contact from the investigating officer in a timely fashion. This has been addressed with a requirement for investigating officers to do so that is subject to continuous reinforcing and monitoring.

Victims of rape and sexual violence

5.6. All victims have a SOIT who is responsible for updating the victim. This is not just as proposed in the VCOP guidelines but is agreed with the victim to provide updates as they would like – this can be frequently (more than once a week) or only when there is something to report. The SOIT updates VCOP so compliance is high. All victims get a letter from the DI and are offered contact and a meeting if they have issues that they cannot raise with the SOIT or if they need reassurance that the MPS is taking their allegation seriously.

5.7. Victim attrition is a major concern. In cases where victims are unable to continue, the SOIT will conduct an exit strategy meeting to find out why the victim was not willing to proceed. The meeting includes a Sapphire questionnaire to obtain victim feedback on how the service can be improved.

Developing trust and confidence with hard to reach communities

5.8. Lambeth MPS, working with partners in the CDRP, is working to engage and reassure communities and particularly to create trust and confidence with communities traditionally considered to be ‘hard to reach’. Some notable recent examples include:

1. MPS have delivered presentations to the DV Forum on Female Genital Mutilation and Honour Based Violence raising awareness amongst NGOs, voluntary and statutory groups.
2. Working with LGBT communities, Lambeth MPS have a full time LGBT Liaison Officer and Hate Crime Officer (who is based with the CDRP in the Community Safety service) as well as a network of part time Liaison Officers. A number of events have been sponsored by MPS/the CDRP focusing on DV within LGBT households including two LGBT Hate Crime and Domestic Violence events in Vauxhall and An LGBT DV event at a gay venue with invited speakers.
3. In September 2009 as part of Peace Week, Lambeth Safer Neighbourhood Teams, in partnership with Safer Lambeth, coordinated two community domestic violence awareness events. The Ferndale and Clapham Town Safer Neighbourhood teams organised an evening seminar to raise awareness of domestic violence as an issue within the LGBT community during which availability of support services for LGBT victims of domestic violence was provided. This was a very positive event, and supported us in building relations with this more difficult to reach group. The second community event, led by Thornton ward also culminated in an evening community seminar. The day of action also involved domestic violence leaflets, with contact details for domestic violence services, being distributed via Lambeth Life to all households in the Thornton Ward.
4. MPS recently appointed a Partnership and Community Engagement officer and they are currently developing an action plan to assist in our understanding of disability, HBV and FM issues.
5. We work with Lambeth’s Community Police Consultative Group as a key ‘sounding board’ for police and community relations in the borough. On 3 November 2009, the regular monthly meeting of CPCG will be dedicated to a discussion about Violence Against Women, covering the DV, sexual violence agenda and HBV.
6. Lambeth is using November’s White Ribbon Day to raise the profile of domestic violence in the borough. Building on the success of the White Ribbon community awareness campaign in 2008, the Lambeth Domestic Violence Forum will be coordinating a day of action on the 25-11-09. This will involve members of the forum taking to the streets of Lambeth to hand out domestic violence information cards and to talk to the public about the issue of domestic violence. As part of the day of action Domestic Violence briefing information packs are also being distributed to over 100 agencies in Lambeth, including all Safer Neighbourhood Panels, to raise awareness of the issues and to highlight what services are available to those experiencing violence. Building on the positive relation that Community Safety Unit has developed with the local press, the Forum will also be working with the press to ensure that the day generates positive exposure and therefore reaches out to members of the community.
7. Lambeth Police have worked with partners to establish a presence at a network of community events, including the Lambeth Country Show. Recent development of a series of ‘Expos’ in each Town centre area has given an opportunity to work with communities and engage on a local level, for example with the Portuguese community at the Stockwell Expo.

6. Organisational improvement

Implementation of recommendations from homicide and serious case reviews

6.1. During the 12 months to August 2009, Lambeth had no DV homicides. For the two years prior to that, there were three murder reviews in relation to DV homicides. Of these, two are currently being carried out and the findings are yet to be published. One of these relates to the murder of an Eastern European woman and has produced a provisional recommendation for police to consider how different minority communities might be affected by DV to improve their engagement with Police and increase reporting. The third review offered no recommendations and concluded that the attack was of such a random nature that it could not have been reasonably foreseen.

Implementation of SCD2 in Lambeth – benefits, challenges and working relationships

6.2. SCD2 in Lambeth has strong continuity with the team working on rape in the borough prior to the implementation. This includes the Detective Inspector, two Detective Sergeants, five Detective Constables and a SOIT officer, so that case handover has been minimised and the existing good working relationships across the borough have been maintained. The new staff members in SCD2 are very positive about the new role and there is an increase in the number of SOITs who are no longer working ‘on call’ and so provide better service to the victims. Close working relationships therefore continue across the borough.

6.3. The philosophy remains 'victim focused' in respect of all Sapphire investigations and this has ensured that quality service and delivery to victims of serious crime has not been affected by the transition.

6.4. Investigative updates, issues and general SCD2 input is presented at the BOCU Daily management Meeting by the Risk and Public Protection Lead for the BOCU who has maintained close liaison (face-to-face) with SCD2 colleagues and tracks cases and investigations, in particular those that are monitored on the Borough Risk Register.

6.5. Intelligence tracking of MAPPA nominals ensures that the BOCU Most Serious Violence and Public Protection Units and SCD2 are given information concerning offenders that pose a risk to the public prior to their release date in order that contingencies may be considered and acted upon. 'Additionally, Lambeth police have a dedicated unit of detectives to deal with serious violent assaults ensuring a high standard of investigative processes. This has resulted in a consistent above target sanctioned detection rates and has been identified as best practice by ACPO.

‘Honour’ based violence and the HBV Action Plan

6.6. HBV is an area for Lambeth that does not present with the frequency seen in other boroughs. This may be due to the demographics of the borough but is almost certainly a consequence of under reporting. Our new Violence Against Women Initiative (see para. 4.17(d), above) aims to better understand and map the full extent of the problem in the Borough. The new Police Partnership and Community Engagement Officer will work with local authority colleagues during this process.

6.7. During the 12 months to August 2009, three incidents were flagged as ‘Honour Based Violence’ and four were flagged as ‘Forced Marriage’ related. All cases are investigated having regard to corporate advice and guidelines provided by the Violent Crime Directorate. Where necessary, a review has been invited from the Violent Crime Directorate HBV and FM SPOCs to provide independent assessment of investigations. CSU staff has been given an in house training input regarding HBV and the new Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007.

Public Protection Desks – the Lambeth experience

6.8. Lambeth’s BOCU Public Protection Desk consists of one sergeant, six constables and two police staff researchers who assess reports submitted by officers who have had dealings with children and young people in circumstances that did not meet the five standards of Every Child Matters. This information is shared with the Council’s Children and Young People’s Services department and CAIT teams.

6.9. Currently, a project is being undertaken to co-locate Lambeth PPD, CAIT and the Children’s Social Services child referral and assessment team in a single office in the Lambeth Children and Young People’s Service headquarters building. Co-location will bring significant advantages including:

1. The immediate exchange of information between agencies thus making agency working more expeditious.
2. The ability to identify potentially serious cases earlier enabling earlier intervention.
3. More face-to-face working between agencies.
4. More cohesive partnership working.

Improving the MPS response – further options for change

6.10. Further options for change by the MPS include:

1. raising the profile of Sapphire/SCD2 across the borough to increase reporting, information and intelligence;
2. improved cross-border working between MARACs;
3. tighter controls around MAPPA and offender management;
4. the need for additional multi-agency investment in victim support for rape and sexual violence.

What help and support from the MPA Domestic and Sexual Violence Board?

6.11. We look to the Board to support the borough’s work on combating domestic and sexual violence by:

1. promoting the victim-based approach that the MPS and partners are taking to rape and DV investigations through media and communications to the wider public in order to improve victim confidence and reporting;
2. supporting MPS in negotiations with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Courts to improve processes and significantly speed up the time taken to bring offenders before the courts, thereby reducing the burden on victims;
3. supporting the negotiation of a joint target between MPS and the CPS to reduce attrition rates and to get more cases through to successful conclusion in court;
4. requesting the Mayor, as Chair of the MPA, to lobby Government and CPS accordingly.

7. Equality and diversity implications

7.1. Lambeth Council is currently developing an equalities impact assessment for domestic violence services, working with the full range of community groups represented on the DV Forum.

7.2. The mapping activity planned for the Violence against Women agenda will also focus on equalities issues across the six statutory equalities strands and the findings, particularly where gaps in provision are highlighted, will be utilised when reviewing and commissioning future specialist service provision in Lambeth.

7.3. Figures show that, since May 2007, the Lambeth MARAC has received 364 referrals. In the last 12 month period (November 08-October 09) the Lambeth MARAC has discussed 256 cases, of which 62 have been repeat referrals (24% repeat rate). Of these 256 referrals, 121 (45%) were for victims from BME community, 249 (97%) referrals were for female victims ,13 (5%) of the victims referred were flagged as having a disability and 2 (0.8%) as from LGBT communities.

7.4. Figures from the Gaia Centre show that in the period of January 2008 to February 2009 there were 757 new referrals to the Gaia domestic violence centre. Of these new referrals, 294 became open and active cases. This means that they have received a level of ongoing specialist support from the Gaia Centre. Of these 294 active cases, 35% were aged 18-29, 41% were aged 30-44 years, 15% were aged 45-54 and 9% make up the other ages ranges. With regards to ethnicity of the 294 active cases, 17% identified themselves as White British, 17% as Black Caribbean, 12% as Black African, 7% as Black British, 7% as White Other, 6% as Asian, 5% as Portuguese, 3% as Polish and 9% as other. 17% of those asked did not identify their ethnicity.

7.5. A reporting process was introduced in 2007 by the Lambeth Safeguarding Adults Board, working with officers from MPS and social services, that enables social care workers to report suspected incidents of abuse of adults at risk directly to the BOCU Community Safety Unit. The Safeguarding Adults at Risk Alert form can be e-mailed directly to the CSU where it is reviewed, recorded and allocated as appropriate.

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