South West domestic abuse charity calls for more support saying system is 'broken'
Claire Marshall, CEO of FearFree, has called for more support for survivors of domestic abuse saying "more resources are needed"
A domestic abuse charity has called for more support for survivors of abuse, saying the system is "broken" and unable to cope with the number of people coming forward.
FearFree, which has bases in Wiltshire and Exeter, said it received 4,359 victim referrals across the southwest in the first six months of the year.
The charity also said each month it received around 900 calls to the helpline.
"I think it is a difficult time at the moment in the world and obviously that contributes to escalations in violence," Claire Marshall, CEO of FearFree, said.
"But there is a very, very strong line between what is normal factitiousness in relationships and abuse, and it's really important if people have concerns or find it difficult to accept what they're experiencing to reach out and get help."
Earlier this month, it was announced domestic abuse specialists will be introduced in 999 control rooms in England and Wales as part of the government's pledge to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.
The government also announced a new domestic abuse protection order pilot that will order more abusers to stay away from victims and impose tougher sanctions if they fail to do so.
The plans are part of 'Raneem's Law' which looks to better protect domestic abuse survivors and support police efforts to combat violence against women and girls.
While Ms Marshall welcomed the new legislation, she said "great strategies are meaningless without the resources to actually make those things happen."
"The difficulty is that domestic abuse charities, social care, the police, the criminal justice system, are all broken with the sheer volume that's coming at us," she said.
Ms Marshall added: "All of those systems need a huge amount of funding in order to be able to work and to support victims and their families properly."
FearFree has provided support to those impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking and harassment for more than 30 years.
The charity also runs voluntary programmes for perpetrators of domestic abuse and sexual violence to help them change their behaviour.
"Many of those people do want to change their behaviour," Ms Marshall explained. "And perhaps have been abused themselves or have been indoctrinated in toxic relationships themselves."
"It's very difficult work and not many step forward, but when they do they can change their lives forever," she added.
Ms Marshall said one of the most difficult things about domestic abuse and sexual violence is spotting the signs of abuse.
"It isn't just violence which is typically what people think of as domestic abuse," she explained.
"It can be controlling behaviour, for example controlling someone's finances, who someone sees, whether they're working or not or where they're travelling to.
"If someone is experiencing symptoms of abuse, sometimes they don't recognise it but a friend or a colleague is able to say, you know, 'I think there is something wrong here, this has gone beyond what would be classed as a toxic relationship.'"
Ms Marshall urged people who want to support survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking to come forward.
She said: "We've got this amazing team of frontline staff who are supporting all of these people, and it would be great if people feel they could do something - whether it's something practical like volunteering, or just spreading the word."
If you or somebody you know is affected by domestic abuse, FearFree is available to help in the South West.
You can contact their Wiltshire support line on 01225 775276 or their Devon support centre on 0345 155 1074.
Other resources available include: