AN Oxfordshire domestic abuse charity is going to expand throughout the Thames Valley as it eyes its 10th birthday.

Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse (RtR), which trains people to help victims of domestic abuse and violence, is set to expand to Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and London.

The charity, set up in 2004, works with other organisations including local councils, health, probation, fire services and the police, to help victims.

It also has 1,000 trained domestic abuse ‘champions’ across the county, who work in the community to reduce the risk of domestic abuse.

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Now that network of champions is expanding beyond Oxfordshire to help more victims.

Chairwoman Romy Briant said: “It’s a new training enterprise we’re launching the next stage to take forward the approach that was developed in Oxfordshire.

“We will train more champions who all know how to to work together across all services.

“We’ve created a partnership between authorities so that everyone shares their information and can work together to help the victim.

“Now when someone comes to us we can work together to get them rehoused, given medical treatment, help them with social workers and everything else.”

She said: “Before victims were telling us they had to go through 14 different agencies to get the help they need, now we get told they only use two.

“It’s really working and making a difference. Over 20,000 people in Oxfordshire alone are victims of domestic abuse.

“We have built strong working relationships by establishing local networks of trained, frontline staff from a wide range of agencies, our Domestic Abuse Champions.

“They act as the expert for their own service, and, through the networks, they are able to help victims quickly find the advice and support they need for their safety and wellbeing.”

Patricia Walsh is the manager of Independent Domestic Violence Advisory service for Oxfordshire, one of the partners in the service.

She said the champions “together ensure a safe, coordinated response wherever a victim of abuse seeks help.”

She added: “This close working relationship underpins pathways for any agency to immediately refer a victim identified as at high risk to our team for rapid support and safety planning.”

County domestic abuse co-ordinator Michelle Plaisted-Kerr is responsible for training the champions.

She said: “The first network of 19 champions met in Cherwell in 2005. We are now helping to establish networks across Thames Valley, in London and beyond.

“Our hope for the future is a national network of champions, providing strong and safe support for victims countrywide.”

The charity is holding a concert to mark its birthday. On Monday, December 8 staff will sing at Dorchester Abbey from 7.15pm.

 

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