Community scheme launches to stamp out domestic abuse

Published: Wed 29 March, 2023

A new scheme that aims to bring communities together to end domestic abuse has launched in North West Leicestershire.

The Safer North West Leicestershire Partnership and Measham Parish Council have been working with Women’s Aid to help people in the community give the right support to domestic abuse survivors.

Ten Community Ambassadors in Measham have received training from The Change That Lasts Ask Me programme to change the way people think about domestic abuse and give survivors the help they need.

Over the coming months the team of Community Ambassadors will be raising awareness and breaking the silence around domestic abuse within their own networks. Their role will be to provide the right response to anyone who would like to access support and signpost them to specialist services available. This will be within well-known places in the local community, such as the GP surgery and library where survivors feel they can ask for help and speak out.

Lee Mansfield, Environmental Health and Community Safety Team Manager at North West Leicestershire District Council, said: “We’re working with Measham Parish Council and Women’s Aid to bring Change That Lasts into our community through the Ask Me scheme.

“By training people in communities to start conversations and break the silence around domestic abuse, we hope that survivors feel that they can ask for help and speak out.

“The Community Ambassadors will be reaching out to their networks to let survivors know that they are there and are equipped with an understanding to get them the support they need.”