The strategy for how domestic abuse will be tackled in Wokingham has been laid out.

In a meeting yesterday (Wednesday, December 15), Wokingham Borough Council’s executive committee approved the publication of its Domestic Abuse Strategy 2021-24, which lays out how domestic abuse will be tackled in the borough.

The council hopes to tackle the issue by reaching out to victims to provide support and encourage wider change to move  towards a society in which people can live without fear of abuse or violence.

This involves work to prevent and intervene in patterns of abuse early to stop intensification, and education in schools to shift towards social norms that do not tolerate violence and abuse.

READ MORE: Details of how Wokingham plans to tackle domestic abuse revealed

The strategy will run for three years and include work with partners such as schools and the police. Primarily, it will put the onus on those who commit acts of abuse to change their behaviours.

The strategy was hailed by members of the Conservative executive committee, which was approved unanimously.

However, concerns were raised that the council’s new domestic abuse refuge service provider Cranstoun does not have refuges for people fleeing abuse.

Cllr Sarah Kerr (Liberal Democrats, Evendons) asked: “How was a contract awarded for a domestic abuse refuge service to a provider that doesn’t have any domestic abuse provision?”

Cllr Bill Soanne, (Conservative, Loddon), executive member for neighbourhood and communities, defended Cranstoun by highlighting its long experience working with councils across the country to provide their domestic abuse services, including in London, Sussex and areas in the Midlands.

Cllr Soanne replied: “Domestic abuse is a priority area for the Borough Council and in recognition of this and increased demands on services in this area, council funding for this contract has been significantly increased.

“The provision of support for victims of domestic abuse is in place as required as part of the commissioned service.

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“Prior to launching the Domestic Abuse arm of the Cranstoun service, Cranstoun committed 10 years to developing their current Domestic Abuse model.

“To do this cohesively they worked with Respect, Safelives, Domestic Violence Intervention Programme, Women’s Aid to name a few all of whom are key stakeholders within Domestic Abuse.

“[They have]  considerable reach across the country and one which demonstrates their capability to deliver a comprehensive Domestic Abuse service to Wokingham residents.”

He added: “No one will be left without support and a safe refuge in our borough should they require it.”

Cranstoun was appointed the refuge service provider in July 1.

Cllr Grahame Howe (Conservative Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe) highlighted that 1,479 women and 568 men reported domestic abuse incidents to Thames Valley Police from the Wokingham area the year ending in 2021.

Last month, the Conservative group on the council angered activists by not seeking White Ribbon campaign accreditation, which works with boys and men to end violence against women and girls.

READ MORE: Wokingham Conservatives accused of watering down pledge to end violence against women and girls

However, cllr John Halsall (Conservative Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe), the leader of the council, argued that his administration had devised a “White Ribbon Plus approach”, which recognises that one in three domestic abuse victims are men.

Cllr Kerr has called cllr Halsall’s reference to the ‘White Ribbon Plus approach’ hollow rhetoric.

She said: “The White Ribbon charity is about engaging with men and boys to end violence against women and girls through addressing and tackling the deep-rooted misogyny ​prevalent in society that gives perpetrators a platform on which to ​abuse​,  ​degrade or demean, attack, rape, and murder women.

“He also assumption that all violence against women is domestic abuse.  Sarah Everard was murdered by a stranger.  This is about women feeling safe to go about their day to day lives​, doing everything a man feels comfortable doing.”

She added that seeking White Ribbon accreditation would have helped identify knowledge gaps in the domestic abuse strategy to help out victims even further.

But Conservatives have argued that seeking accreditation would ‘needlessly duplicate’ the work the council is already doing in its equality strategy, domestic abuse strategy, and staff training.