Next Link Domestic Abuse services and The Diversity Trust are co-hosting an event to present a report from the project they have been working on together to improve access to domestic abuse services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans victims. This project has been funded by the Police and Crime Commission.

Keynote speaker at the event will be Sue Mountstevens, Police and Crime Commissioner. Also speaking will be Carol Metters MBE, Chief Executive from Next Link and Berkeley Wilde, Director the Diversity Trust.

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said: “This report shines a light on the views, needs and support required for LGBT victims and survivors of abuse. It is important that we always listen, especially to the quiet voices, so we can align our services to their needs. We need to actively seek this feedback and make sure that when it comes we are ready to listen. This report does that, loud and clear for the LGBT community.”

Carol Metters, Chief Executive Next link Domestic Abuse Services said: “We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work together with the Diversity Trust to improve the lives of LGBT victims of domestic abuse. We know that historically it has been harder for LGBT victims to feel able to come forward and seek help and through the process of listening and learning from each other we have improved our understanding and begun to remove some of the obstacles to ensure domestic abuse services are welcoming to all.

It is important that any LGBT victim who is experiencing domestic abuse knows it is not their fault and there is help available to make them safe; just call Next Link on 0017 925 0680.”

Berkeley Wilde, Director, the Diversity Trust said: “We have been working together with Next Link over the last two years to increase engagement with LGBTcommunities and improve access to domestic abuse services. There is a growing body of evidence that generic services need to target LGBT communities if they are to increase reporting of domestic abuse. We really welcome this timely report.”

Read the report click here MA4362_LGBT_Report_March2016[2]

Ends

Notes to Editor

Facts and figures about Domestic Abuse

• 1 in 4 people identifying a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans will experience Domestic Abuse at some point in their lives. This is the same as same rate as in domestic abuse against heterosexual women
• Domestic violence accounts for almost a ¼ of all violent crime. (British Crime Survey England & Wales 2000)
• Domestic Violence occurs across society, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, wealth & geography. (Home Office Research Study 191 – 1999)
• There were over 7000 reported incidents of domestic abuse reported to the police in Bristol in 2013-14. Two-thirds of incidents go unreported.
• 64% of transgender people have experienced domestic violence and abuse ( Browne, K, 2007 „Count Me in Too: Domestic Violence and Abuse and LGBT Lives‟ University of Brighton and Spectrum )

Reporters/ photographers/ TV crews are invited to come to the event. Pommy Harmar is available for interview on the day. If you would like to interview a survivor, this will be done earlier in the day, and will need to be booked in advance, as identities may have to be disguised. Please contact Pommy Harmar to arrange 07734556684.

Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group is responsible for commissioning hospitals, community health and mental health services across the county of Somerset. They want to hear from patients and carers about their experiences of using health services. This helps them to check the quality of the services they have bought and better understand the barriers and challenges … Continued

We have been working with the Somerset Equality Officers Group (SEOG) to update the gay and bisexual men’s community in Somerset on what has been achieved since we published our research report in February 2015. You can read the research report click here You can read the update here

On January 14th the House of Commons released a report from the Transgender Equality Inquiry. The Diversity Trust welcomes this report, both for its long overdue recognition of the discrimination faced by trans people in the UK, and for its positive attitude towards creating change. The report estimates that there are in the region of … Continued