'No More' - Domestic Abuse Champions
‘No More’ is an annual week dedicated to raising awareness about domestic abuse and sexual violence.
In 2024, Sussex Police received 20,885 reports of domestic abuse and violence and they have dedicated teams and resources to investigate reports and support victims of abuse. The Force is also supported by Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne and her dedicated Victim Services team.
Across Sussex, PCC Katy Bourne funds a range of high-quality services including some specifically designed to offer support to those who are victims of domestic abuse, helping them to speak out about their experience.
In 2024 alone, the Commissioner’s office supported over 8,000 victims of domestic violence through funded services - an increase of 1,000 compared to the previous year.
Speaking about the importance of raising awareness around domestic abuse and sexual violence, PCC Katy Bourne said: “We need to constantly speak about domestic abuse and sexual violence and to listen to victims when they have the courage to tell their inspirational stories. These crimes isolate their victims, making them feel that they have to hide and remain silent, adding to the torment they are already facing. It is my goal to continue to provide funding for key services and to bring forward initiatives within Sussex Police, to ensure that we reach as many people as we can who need our help to escape the stressful and dangerous circumstances they may be in.”
Within the Force Contact and Command Centre (FCCCD) which receives all emergency and non-emergency reports, there are specially-trained Domestic Abuse (DA) Champions who are volunteers within Sussex Police and can come from any discipline, rank or grade. The team are enthusiastic and passionate about supporting victims of DA and improving the policing service in this area.
The DA Champions have a dedicated network seeking to improve the force-wide response to domestic abuse investigations and to improve the experience of the victim. The team also works to maximise criminal justice outcomes to ensure perpetrators are remanded for their actions.
Within policing teams, DA Champions act as an expert to investigating officers, offering support and critical thinking to domestic-related reports. The DA Champions situated within the FCCCD can also offer guidance to live 999 or 101 calls if a Contact Handler believes the individual is disclosing domestic abuse or violence.
The Champions are well versed in what support services are available within the county for victims and survivors of DA and can help to guide individuals to these directly or through their investigating officer.
Striving for continuous improvement across the Force is important so the team works with Sussex Police’s divisional leads to implement continual professional development for officers and staff involved in the investigation of domestic abuse within a group or peer-to-peer setting.
Speaking about being a DA Champion for Sussex Police, Police Sergeant Ruth Ford highlights: “The DA Champions are really important for engraining an enhanced service to victims of domestic abuse and improving the support received by the most vulnerable members of our communities. The DA Champions Network has grown over the last few years and we now have 338 members in Sussex Police. They received specialist ‘DA Matters’ training, which is delivered by our Champions, as well as ongoing training from our external partners and bespoke events to improve knowledge and skills. I think that this work is critical for recognising the impact of domestic abuse on victims and ensuring that we able to protect and safeguard those who need us the most.
PCC Katy Bourne continues: “For the last twelve years, tackling domestic abuse has remained one of my top priorities because this crime is not decreasing. Whilst I’ve seen Sussex Police come on in leaps and bounds with their approach to tackling it, there is always room for improvement. I am grateful for the work of the DA Champions who are constantly challenging how Sussex Police investigates and responds to domestic abuse, in order to drive this improvement.
“It will be interesting to see the results from the recently announced ‘Raneem’s Law’ which is being piloted in other Force areas, where DA specialists are embedded in control rooms. In the meantime, it is reassuring that we already have dedicated staff members in place to spot the signs and provide key advice to their colleagues.”