Following powerful work by an Oswestry resident to highlight the problems of domestic abuse, Shropshire Council is to be urged to become an accredited White Ribbon authority.

Following the powerful work that an Oswestry resident who is a survivor of domestic abuse has done to highlight the problems of domestic abuse, Shropshire Councillors Duncan Kerr and Mike Isherwood will be urging Shropshire Council to join Oswestry Town Council in becoming an accredited White Ribbon authority when the Council meets on the 23rd of September.

Councillor Kerr explained “According to the Government over 2.3 million people suffer domestic abuse each year at a total cost to the public purse of over £66bn. We also know that two women a week lose their lives to domestic abuse and this number has increased during the Covid lock-down.

In Shropshire, Domestic Abuse is a major cause of the escalating number of children being made subject to a Child Protection Plan and is the single biggest reason for Section 42 adult safeguarding enquiries and conclusions. West Mercia Police report that it accounts for 17% of reported crimes with a 22% increase year on year.

We are sure that all members of Shropshire Council welcome the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 which provides for a legal definition of domestic abuse and increases the powers and responsibilities of the Council to victims and survivors, however to address this problem we need to go much further than mere legal compliance. Shropshire needs to follow the many Councils who are leading their communities in taking a stand against domestic abuse by becoming White Ribbon Accredited organisations”.

The local resident, who would prefer to remain anonymous, added “As a survivor of domestic abuse I know how difficult it is for victims to seek help and how important it is for public institutions like Shropshire Council to make a stand to say they will not tolerate or condone abuse. I hope that the Council will heed this call and look forward to further actions to help victims and survivors in the future”.

Information on the accreditation by the White Ribbon campaign is here: https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/organisations.