Written question WQ84880

Each year, the Welsh Government provides significant funding for specialist services to support victims and survivors of all forms of VAWDASV including domestic abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour.

We fund VAWDASV regions and specialist services to provide invaluable and lifesaving support to all victims of VAWADSV, this includes early intervention, preventative and educational support, perpetrator intervention programmes, Independent Domestic Violence Advocates for high risk victims as well as therapeutic recovery interventions for the ongoing support of those impacted by VAWDASV.

This funding ensures that no matter where a victim lives in Wales, there is a strong public and specialist service ready to help.

Welsh Government has always been clear, we want an end to all violence against women and girls. Violence against women and girls is a societal problem which requires a societal response.

Coercive control is insidious, difficult to identify, very hard to disclose, and for those outside of the abusive relationship, difficult to see and understand.

Our ‘This is control’ campaign continues to raise awareness of these issues and provides a focus on helping people to identify coercive controlling behaviours. The campaign aims to highlight the treacherous, cumulative nature of coercive control as well as its subtlety. For many victims, coercive control is the main element of domestic abuse.

Our ‘Live Fear Free’ campaign continue to raise awareness of harassment, abuse and violence against women in all aspects of life. We continue to fund the Live Fear Free helpline which is a free, 24/7 support service for all victims and survivors of VAWDASV and those close to them.

We are developing our next five-year 2022-2027 VAWDASV National Strategy. A public consultation was concluded in February 2022 and we are reviewing the responses received in readiness for publication in late spring. Implementation of the strategy will be based on collaborative working with relevant agencies, such as Police, Police and Crime Commissioners, and the specialist sector and guided by the voices of survivors.

Our Programme for Government also commits to expanding our training provision as well as our communications campaigns. The focus will be on training opportunities for the general public to ensure Welsh citizens are empowered to be active bystanders to safely support those affected by VAWDASV.