Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse
2024 grant recipients - Project funded by the Powerhouse Grant
Domestic abuse affects 5% of the adult population every year and in rural areas like Didcot, access to support can be limited, and awareness is often low. Reducing the Risk’s project was to increase visibility and awareness of the issue by promoting our Domestic Abuse Friends initiative. Our ambition, by working with district, parish councils, and local community groups is to offer opportunities for individuals to engage, learn, and adopt our ‘Listen, Link, and Lend a Hand to Raise Awareness’ message. Through these partnerships, we aim to create pathways for individuals to access further resources and professional help when needed.
At the outset of our project, we trained 25 new RtR Domestic Abuse Champions in Didcot, empowering them to support their staff and communities effectively. These champions are then supported to deliver 'Introduction to Friends' sessions themselves, ensuring a sustainable model of support for the future.
“Domestic abuse is still a sensitive and often taboo subject in many communities, and the reluctance to engage with or acknowledge the topic was evident during our outreach. The close-knit nature of rural communities can make victims feel isolated and hesitant to seek help, which is compounded by concerns about privacy and community judgment. We have experienced this in other parts of Oxfordshire but it felt in some cases a bigger challenge and issue in Didcot”
Impact achieved so far:
We successfully engaged nearly 300 community members across 38 different community groups, establishing strong, lasting relationships.
Our 'Introduction to Friends' sessions have now trained 102 Didcot DA Friends, building a dedicated network of support.
We hosted 5 ‘Cake with Friends’ events, providing informal opportunities for people to learn about Domestic Abuse in both casual and organisational settings.
We attended community events and music evenings.
By visiting community groups and events, we not only raised awareness of domestic abuse support services but also empowered individuals with the confidence to signpost others to local resources. It was a privilege to hear from many survivors of domestic abuse, who expressed how reassuring it was to know that support remained available, even after leaving their abusive relationships.