Police do well to support victims

Bexhill Observer lettersBexhill Observer letters
Bexhill Observer letters

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From: Cllr Charles Clark, County Councillor, Bexhill East

RE. last week’s report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) on Sussex Police.

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I felt the comments made regarding Sussex Police responses to domestic abuse were unfair and ill-informed.

Sussex Police became the first police force in the country to be awarded White Ribbon status.

This was awarded in recognition of its work in tackling domestic abuse and violence cases.

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Sussex Police has provided a dedicated unit to respond to incidents of domestic abuse, which includes independent domestic abuse advisors, which means victims get specialist support quicker.

Sussex Police has a website with lots of information on support available to victims of domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse accounts for eight per cent of recorded crime.

The extent of domestic abuse remains shocking.

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Seventy-seven women were killed by their partners or ex-partners in 2012-13.

In fact, domestic abuse reporting is on the increase, because victims feel they will be supported, which was not always the case in the past.

Of course it is better to have more personal visits to support victims of domestic abuse, they need to be supported and advised at a difficult time in their lives.

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In recent years, I have supported families in my ward who were suffering domestic abuse, and I know they received good support from our local police force.

Sussex Police is doing its best to manage with the resources available to them.

Continuing to make cuts in police funding will not help Sussex Police to be effective in all the issues they face in policing the county.

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