Housing staff to support tenants experiencing domestic abuse.

To help support Council tenants who are experiencing domestic abuse, City of York Council's housing staff will be trained and supported to spot the signs and support victims and survivors.

As part of the Council’s wider work to tackle or prevent domestic abuse, a new policy was agreed on 5 February which commits the Council to better supporting its tenants and leaseholders as part of its ongoing journey of improvement.

This policy sits alongside city-wide work to tackle domestic abuse including the latest Valentine's Day awareness campaign.

Some 4,000 residents across York are estimated to be currently living with domestic abuse, with a further 16,000 residents having experienced it at some point in their lives.

Whether it involves 'love bombing', coercive control, psychological, financial or emotional abuse, domestic abuse is often carried out at home. With training, staff who visit tenants will be better able to spot the signs. They can then help prevent or tackle it, discreetly signpost tenants to support, and back action to bring perpetrators to account.  

Councillor Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities at City of York Council, said: “Those experiencing domestic abuse can feel they have nowhere to turn. We are saying you are not alone, you will be believed and we care about you.

“Domestic abuse is simply not acceptable in our homes. A home should be a safe haven but sadly that is not always the case. Fearing what might happen in it or feeling that you have to leave it to escape abuse, should never be an issue, but all too often it is.

“I want to reassure tenants that any concerns raised about domestic abuse with us will be met with empathy and an appropriate response. This is part of our commitment to being the best landlord we can as we work hard to improve, and our new policy embeds this approach into all we do.”

Any York resident concerned about a relationship, whether their own or that of someone they know, please speak to someone you trust, or find advice and support from IDAS, either online or by calling 03000 110 110.

If domestic abuse puts you at risk of becoming homeless or if you’re being threatened with homelessness, please call 01904 554500 or visit www.york.gov.uk/HousingOptions

Any Council tenant experiencing or concerned about domestic abuse can contact their Housing Management Officer (HMO) via www.york.gov.uk/OpenHousing or, visit www.york.gov.uk/HousingManagementOfficers or call Housing Services on 01904 551550.

Support is also available for those causing harm from Foundation’s Positive Choices programme or by calling 01904 557491.