Sussex Police say domestic abuse still a priority during Covid-19

Detective chief superintendent Steve Rayland of Sussex Police, head of public protection and force lead for domestic abuse

) Domestic abuse happens somewhere every day of the year and can often leave people feeling alone, trapped or silenced, especially as we continue to have reduced contact with others and spend more time at home.

Lockdown and ongoing restrictions haven’t changed our focus on domestic abuse – it is still a priority and if you are suffering from domestic abuse we urge you to call us or speak to an officer.

We know that these ongoing periods of isolation have been particularly tough, with a lack of space, increased family tensions and possible financial pressures. For those living with an abusive partner or family member, it has meant even less opportunity to break away or reach out for help and support. No matter what is going on around us there is no excuse for domestic abuse and no one should have to suffer in silence. We are here to help put an end to violence and other forms of domestic abuse. Recent victim surveys show that there is underreporting of domestic abuse from the LGBTQ+ community and we are keen to reach out to the community to protect and support those who may be in danger.

Domestic abuse is often subtle in its nature. Many victims may not even recognise abusive behaviours. Often abusers will use emotional manipulation and intimidation to shame or terrorise victims into compliance. Psychological harm is often every bit as corrosive to a victim’s wellbeing as physical abuse.

Reporting domestic abuse can be incredibly difficult for so many reasons, and we understand the complexities that make it difficult to come forward. It takes a huge amount of courage to make that call, but you are not alone – our extensively trained staff and officers are here to keep you safe.

Victims can contact the police via the website, 101 or 999 in an emergency. During the initial contact we will discuss the victim’s circumstances with them, risk-assess the situation and either attend the home address, or for lower-risk incidents ask victims to either come to a police station, or meet us online for a video appointment. The video appointment system is simple to use, completely secure and extremely difficult to detect by perpetrators. There have never been more ways for victims and police to engage with one another.

When victims meet us, we discuss a range of options to support them to remove the harm that abusers inflict. As well as tools within criminal and civil law to stop the abuse, we can help victims access a range of local support services and charities that specialise in domestic abuse to help them to move forward with their lives.

We have received very positive feedback from victims after their contact with us, sharing that they felt listened to, taken seriously, and had a clear plan of how we would support them moving forward.

We want LGBTQ+ victims to know that if you are in a relationship where physical and psychological abuse may be happening, if you are feeling isolated, intimidated or manipulated by your partner, we are here for you 24/7 – we will listen to you, we will take your situation seriously and we will leave you safer than before you called us.

To report domestic abuse, call 101 or 999 in an emergency or visit: www.sussex.police.uk/ro/ report/domestic-abuse/report-domestic-abuse/