The 10-year Tackling Domestic Abuse Perpetration Strategy sets out a bold, co‑produced approach.
It aims to identify perpetrators earlier, address enabling behaviour and hold perpetrators fully accountable for their actions.
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 which faces 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, in which five out of six victims are women and girls.