The 10-year Tackling Domestic Abuse Perpetration Strategy sets out a bold, co‑produced approach to identifying perpetrators earlier, addressing enabling behaviours, and holding perpetrators fully accountable .
Backed by campaigner Micala Trussler, whose daughter Holly Newton was murdered in January 2023, this initiative aims to drive real, societal change in how we understand and tackle domestic abuse .
This strategy re-focuses responsibility where it belongs: with the perpetrator. It reinforces that causing harm is not a by-product of circumstances—it’s a choice that will face meaningful intervention and accountability.
Co-created with partners across Cleveland—including police, local councils, voluntary sector, and lived‑experience advocates—it translates shared commitment into action-oriented annual delivery plans.
Core Priorities:
- Prevent – Act early by recognizing and responding to behaviour or warning signs before they escalate
- Protect – Clearly identify those responsible for abusive behaviour and ensure they understand their responsibilities and consequences
- Pursue – Disrupt abusive patterns and prosecute where appropriate, while using protective tools like DAPNs and DAPOs
Why This Strategy Matters
- An estimated 262 lives were lost across England and Wales to domestic abuse-related deaths in the past year. Suicides linked to domestic abuse now exceed the number of homicides.
- The strategy aligns with broader efforts to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG.) VAWG is a group of gendered crimes, where five out of six victims are women and girls.