Domestic abuse (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

Gaining a comprehensive picture of the extent of domestic abuse in South Tyneside is challenging for a number of reasons:

• Domestic abuse is under-reported and therefore incidents are not always recorded.
• Agencies collect data based on their requirements, collating different measures (for example, the Police record incidents of abuse, whilst Children's Social Care Services record children affected).
• Third sector providers do not collate information on a consistent basis as their contact numbers reflect their service offer.  Due to the nature of domestic abuse, agencies in South Tyneside may be contacted by individuals from other boroughs.  
• There is a strongly co-occurring relationship between domestic abuse, alcohol and drug use and mental health.  The term "Toxic Trio" is used to describe these co-occurring issues, which can only be understood in a broader public health context.

The pattern of incidents in South Tyneside suggests that need is significant, particularly bearing in mind that incidence is under-reported.   

The hidden nature of domestic abuse means that by the time it comes to the attention of the police, there are likely to have been other incidents.  This suggests that a significant proportion of domestic abuse is part of a bigger picture and relationship/ family history, rather than a single incident.

Health and wellbeing needs of victims

The Home Office report "The Social and Economic Costs of Domestic Abuse" (2019) identified that different types of domestic violence and abuse will likely impact on a person's health and wellbeing in different ways. For example, victims of domestic stalking are more likely to suffer from depression and/or anxiety, and there are likely significant psychological impacts of emotional abuse such as controlling and coercive behaviour.

Physical injuries are often experienced by victims of domestic violence and rape. For example, the report predicts that around 10% of victims of violence with injury will suffer broken bones, and almost 40% will suffer from severe bruising.

In relation to emotional harms, the report predicts that around 70% of victims of domestic stalking will suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, and around 53% of victims of violence with injury will suffer from depression. People who experience violence without injury are also likely to suffer from depression and anxiety (around 22% and 27% respectively).

Accommodation needs

Tackling domestic abuse is not only a corporate priority but it can also be directly linked to strategic priorities within the Integrated Housing Strategy, which focuses on balancing the housing market and preventing homelessness across the borough. Domestic Abuse remains one of the greatest reasons for homeless presentations within South Tyneside, and although we are very effective in rehousing survivors we need to be more proactive at preventing homelessness as we recognise the importance of tackling the root causes of domestic abuse through supporting survivors and educating perpetrators.

The Integrated Housing Strategy makes a commitment to review all domestic abuse service, ensure commissioning of effective and supportive services in the borough and ensuring that services and advice is consistent throughout the borough. The council have recently set-up a domestic abuse review group, which is a cross-departmental cohort who will focus services in a more coordinated and holistic way. This will cover all aspects of domestic abuse, including financial abuse.

South Tyneside Homes have committed to DAHA accreditation, which will include the reviewing of policies and related documents, training of staff following gap analysis and ensuring that there is corporate buy-in to this agenda. This accreditation programme has been developed with social housing providers in mind; however Local Authorities and wider stakeholders are likely to get involved within the process and result in effective signposting and joined up services in the borough. The implementation of this accreditation was agreed at a sub-regional level with neighbouring authorities to ensure a consistent approach and a cross-authority protocol when it is beneficial and in the best interest of the survivor.

The sub-regional Domestic Abuse Coordinator group have been successful in gaining finance from central government to provide outreach services to some of our most complex and vulnerable survivors of DA; this project will be monitored carefully and where demonstrable outcomes can be identified services will be tailored accordingly. One element of this project is to analyse positive practice and learn from other areas and the way in which they are tackling DA; again, this review will assist in shaping services in the future.

Children and young people

Children were present or involved in 44% of incidents in South Tyneside in 2017 / 18. Domestic abuse can look different in different families, and some children will have been exposed to an on-going level of incidents, which will directly shape their understanding of relationship and gender roles.

In February 2017, Children's Social Care undertook a review of every case open to the service under the category of "Abuse and neglect". This concluded that domestic abuse is a factor in 49% of children's experience when referred. In 2016, there were 1940 referrals to Children's Social Care, and the profile indicates that 950 of these children would have domestic abuse as part of their experience of family life.

Schools are supporting children affected by domestic abuse through Operation Encompass, which aims to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in a domestic abuse incident. Following an incident at home, children will often arrive at school distressed, upset and unprepared for the day. Northumbria Police and South Tyneside Council are working with schools and academies across South Tyneside to make sure that schools are able to offer support and guidance to children who may be experiencing domestic abuse in their home.

Additionally, Operation Encompass Next Steps is a new Northumbria Police and Council driven scheme of work in schools that educates children and young people and promotes healthy and respectful relationships. All schools within South Tyneside are signed up to this programme.

Support is also available through the Early Help team in South Tyneside, a family-orientated intervention service that works closely with families to provide the right support at the right time.

In 2021 Children's Social Care have established a new service to support families open to social care with domestic abuse.