Enfield Council has worked with the Mayor of London’s Office for Policing and Crime to secure a slice of £1.46m in funding to be shared across 10 local authorities, to tackle violence against women and girls.
The funding will expand a successful two-year pilot scheme in Enfield to nine other boroughs across the capital, enabling them to learn from Enfield Council’s experiences so they can roll out their own programmes.
The ‘Culturally Integrated Family Approach’ (CIFA) programme, delivered by Rise Mutual CIC, aims to encourage abusers to change their behaviour and reduce reoffending.
According to the newly launched Enfield Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy there were 6,282 domestic abuse incidents in the borough in the year ending March 2022.
Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion at Enfield Council, Councillor Gina Needs, said: "We are committed to making Enfield a borough where everyone can live free of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
“This funding will enable us to continue and develop our work in holding perpetrators to account and engaging them in behaviour change interventions while supporting survivors and improving multi-agency working. I congratulate the team on their work in securing this important support.
“We look forward to working with our partners and other boroughs to deliver this programme and make a positive impact on our communities."
The funding for the CIFA programme has been provided by the Home Office and the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime.
London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, said: “At City Hall, we’re determined to end violence against women and girls once and for all, and through the Mayor’s refreshed strategy, we are putting the onus on men to change their behaviour.
“This includes investing over £15m in programmes focused on addressing and changing the behaviour of perpetrators of abuse, to protect those at risk from violence and help build a safer London for all.”
This will address the borough’s needs and aligns with the Mayor’s VAWG Strategy, and local VAWG strategic aims, aiming to encourage abusers to change their behaviours and reduce reoffending, through perpetrator interventions and prevention.
The nine other boroughs are Brent, Harrow, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Haringey, Barnet, Hammersmith and Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster.
Women and girls who are experiencing domestic abuse, are advised to call the free National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 247 2000. In an emergency dial 999.
Download Enfield Council's Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2023-2025 here