Hounslow BOCU

Report: 1b
Report for the Domestic and Sexual Violence Board
Date: 15 April 2011

Following attendance on 16 November 2010:

• Hounslow BOCU to take up the offer from Haringey Domestic Violence Coordinator Minu Patel to discuss the establishment of a MARAC steering group and feedback on outcomes. You are welcome to contact Lynne Abrams at the MPA who can facilitate this process.

Contact was made. The MARAC steering group has been set up. Hounslow Borough Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is leading. The terms of reference will be circulated in 1st week of April and the first steering group will take place on 12/04/2011.

• Hounslow SCD2 to feedback on outcomes from the sexual violence focus groups and the response to Female Genital Mutilation on the borough.

Hounslow CSP ran 5 focus groups, one specifically related to Female Genital Mutilation and from the feedback received produced a report titled ‘Uncomfortable Truths - Sexual Violence Survivors Speak Out.’

Further work has been conducted around African / Somali groups and ‘Cohesion’ have incorporated a DV slot where the following issues will be addressed: FGM; Health; support groups; childcare; citizenship; A&E / GP access

• Hounslow BOCU to contact Hillingdon BOCU to explore good practice around repeat victimisation.

Contact was made with Hillingdon BOCU who shared their good practice. Current practice at Hounslow is consistent with Hillingdon BOCU in relation to investigation of Non Crime Book Domestic Incidents, whereby a dedicated member of staff makes contact with all victims to provide intervention, referrals and appropriate support.

As outlined above, the MARAC at Hounslow now has a Steering Group in place and the MARAC protocol will be reviewed as part of that process to ensure it is fit for purpose, and that all high risk cases are identified and part of this process.

Hounslow BOCU has recently established a monthly Repeat Victimisation meeting chaired by the DCI Investigations. The aims of this meeting are and process are to facilitate identification and to tackle repeat victimisation. This process aims to meet the needs of the victim by reducing or preventing repeat victimisation.

• Hounslow BOCU to quantify any increase in reporting from the Somali community following engagement activity

(As above) Further work has been conducted around African / Somali groups and ‘Cohesion’ have incorporated a DV slot where the following issues will be addressed: FGM; Health; support groups; childcare; citizenship; A&E / GP access.

West Middx Hospital A & E staff have been very supportive and a new ‘assault’ page has been created on their database which enables staff to confidentially flag incidents as ‘DV’ and will incorporate ‘Q & A’s’ around DV and FGM. This went live 21/03/2011.

It is not possible to quantify any increase in reporting from the Somali community due to the Crime Report Investigation System method for recording ethnicity.

• Hounslow BOCU to outline the impact of the new camera equipment and any subsequent outcome on successful prosecutions
  At present Hounslow’s Sanction Detection Rate for Domestic Violence Offences is at 46.7%, just short of the 47% target set by the MPS. This is a marked improvement from the figures reported for the financial year to date at the time of presenting to the DVSB Board, at which time the CSU were achieving 42%.

On a daily basis DV crimes are reviewed at the Daily Management Meeting and it is highlighted if photographs have been taken. In the event failings are identified, these are actioned and fed back to initial investigating and supervising officers to rectify.

Hounslow BOCU has volunteered to be the MPS pilot site for HBV, FM and FGM issues.

An initial meeting is proposed for May and the aims of this strategic group are to:

• Facilitate a joint training and awareness programme on multi agency basis;
• Improve service delivery;
• Monitor cases - consideration of formation of MARAC type group to help manage HBV / FM high risk cases;
• Improve support and management of victims and therefore prevention of criminal offences;
• Improve third party reporting facilities;
• Determine baseline of HBV / FM offences / incidents and level of under reporting;
• Identify best practice and areas for improvement;
• Development of HBV and FM Working Group

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback