West Oxfordshire Council supports charity Reducing the Risk in tackling domestic abuse in the county

The council was given the funding from the government as part of the Covid Outbreak and Management Fund (COMF) and local charity Reducing the Risk was granted some of this funding to enable them to go into communities and start conversations around domestic abuse.

Reducing the Risk delivers small local sessions in community settings to engage with individuals and to start to raise awareness of domestic abuse in west Oxfordshire. Many of those who attended the sessions were unaware of the difficulties those suffering from domestic abuse face in rural areas.

The COMF money also enabled Reducing the Risk to set up an online community within their resource hub for West Oxfordshire residents. This resource hub has a range of information for community volunteers, domestic abuse champions and practitioners. Anyone can access the information for free which gives them the tools they need to help those at risk.

West Oxfordshire District Council are still actively working with Reducing the Risk and they have recently developed a new initiative called Reducing the Risk Friends, where people in the local area will be trained to listen and lend a hand to anyone experiencing domestic abuse.

Cllr Joy Aitman, cabinet member for healthy communities, said: “Domestic abuse is a hidden issue in our local community. It is so important to be able to spot the signs and be able to help those in danger.

“The pandemic made it even less safe for those people experiencing domestic abuse as they were often stuck in the house with their abuser. Recent evidence also shows that people in rural areas are likely to experience domestic violence for longer than those in built-up areas, as it can be much more difficult to reach out for help in rural areas where people know each other. This is why it is so important for us to be able to provide support in West Oxfordshire.

“Reducing the Risk is such a fantastic charity with a great cause and I’m so thrilled we’ve been able to support them with funding. The work they do is incredible and is really making a difference in West Oxfordshire.”

For more information on Reducing the Risk visit the charity's website.