25 Nov 2023
Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn and his Office, along with Dyfed-Powys Police, are today proudly supporting White Ribbon Day, which marks the start of 16 days of activism against men’s violence against women and girls.
Both PCC Dafydd Llywelyn and Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Constable Richard Lewis are committed to tackling domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
PCC Llywelyn in his Police and Crime Plan has committed to commission specialist support for victims of domestic and sexual violence, while one of Chief Constable Richard Lewis’s three priorities is to eradicate domestic abuse.
In recent weeks, PCC Dafydd Llywelyn has been involved in several key events and activities on Domestic Abuse leading up to White Ribbon Day, including speaking at an online event raising awareness of CPA (Child to Parent Abuse) and attending a conference in London to raise awareness and to provide insight for employers on CPA and the impact on employees.
Child to Parent Abuse is a particular nuance of domestic abuse, and there is lack of awareness of this type of abuse according to PCC Dafydd Llywelyn, which is something that he has been keen to address since being re-elected.
In 2021, along with partners within the Dyfed Powys area, PCC Llywelyn’s Office has worked with an organisation called PEGS (Parents Education Growth Support), to inform and develop a regional policy and guidance document regarding child to parent abuse.
In addition to this, a comprehensive training package has been delivered to practitioners, including police officers, commissioned services and partners through PEGS.
The training includes awareness of an assessment tool that is being used by Dyfed-Powys Police to identify the presence of child to parent abuse, and to inform the operational response.
Once it is identified, PCC Llywelyn has previously used the Home Office Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Fund to provide training sessions and a whole family programme under the banner Break for Change, that works with parent and child together. This training is now being delivered through a unique project called Ar Trac, which is funded through a Welsh Government Sustainable Social Services grant, and is the first project of its kind in Wales.
PCC Llywelyn has lately also signed the Child to Parent Abuse Covenant and is encouraging other organisations in the Dyfed-Powys to sign.
The Covenant gives employers across the UK the opportunity to recognise Child to Parent Abuse as a key type of domestic abuse, and begin offering support to their staff, volunteers, and any service-users or members of the public they come into contact with. Organisations can sign the Covenant whether they have existing policies and staff training in place, or whether they are completely new to their journey of discovering what CPA is and how it affects families.
Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “White Ribbon Day serves as a poignant reminder that we must unite against all forms of violence towards women and girls.
“As we embark on these 16 days of activism, both myself and my Office are proud to stand with Dyfed-Powys Police in our commitment to tackling domestic abuse.
“Child to Parent Abuse is an often overlooked aspect of this issue, and it is our duty to raise awareness.
“Our efforts, including the unique training we are providing within this area and signing the Child to Parent Abuse Covenant, are steps toward a safer and more informed community. By working together, we can create lasting change and support those affected by these forms of abuse”.
ENDS
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