Plans to eradicate domestic violence in Leeds has taken a significant step forward.
An ambitious council scheme aims to strengthen local domestic violence services and allow the council to improve the effectiveness of its victim support schemes.
The scheme forms part of the Domestic Violence Breakthrough Project and will initially be rolled out in Armley, which has one of the highest percentages of domestic violence cases in the city.
As part of the project the Armley Community Hub will be used as a centre for local victim support services, initially for a period of 12 months. The new programme is one of the major plans being overseen by the council to eradicate domestic violence in Leeds and will eventually be rolled out across the city.
Councillor Alison Lowe (Labour, Armley) chairs the Leeds Domestic Violence Forum and has been a life-long campaigner on the issue. She said:
“I urge anyone who is experiencing domestic violence to please seek support from the wide range of services available in Leeds.
“Domestic violence has absolutely no place in our society, and I will be working hard over the coming months to ensure that this programme is rolled out successfully.
“We want to see an increase in reporting from the most underreporting groups, increased trust in and engagement with Armley’s local support services, and overall, a reduction in the extent and impact of domestic violence.”
If you need help and advice, the following national organisations can be contacted:
Domestic Violence Helpline – 0808 2000 247
Men’s Advice Line – 0808 801 0327
Jewish Women’s Aid – 0808 801 0500
Broken Rainbow – 0300 999 5428 (support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people)
In an emergency, ring West Yorkshire Police on 999.