Plymouth Violence Against Women and Girls, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy, Action Plan and Statutory Partnership Board
Plymouth has a statutory Violence Against Women and Girls, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWG DASV) Partnership Board which coordinates work across the city to address Domestic Aabuse. The board sits under the community safety partnership board, Safer Plymouth and works with the other safeguarding boards (Plymouth Safeguarding Adults Partnership and Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership) to deliver the Plymouth Violence Against Women and Girls, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy and Action Plan 2023-2026.
VAWG, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy 2023 – 2026Domestic Abuse and Children Working Group
We have a joint working group and 1 page strategy with the Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (PSCP) focussed on improving the city’s response to children impacted by Ddomestic Aabuse.
PSCP One Page Domestic Abuse and Children StrategyPlymouth Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)
A Marac is an action focused multi-agency meeting where professionals come together to collectively hold and manage high risk Domestic Abuse.
It is victim/survivor focussed.
Any professional can refer victims/survivors assessed to be high risk.
Plymouth MARAC currently operates every fortnight.
Referrals
If your organisation has a MARAC rep or MARAC lead please contact them to make a referral.
For all other referrals please contact the MARAC coordinator marac.pdas@sanctuary.co.uk, and complete and return the MARAC referral form .
The closing date for referrals is alternate Tuesdays at 4pm in order for them to be listed for the following Tuesday meeting.
All referrals are accepted however further information to gain understanding may be required to ensure that it is being heard in the right forum.
Plymouth Multi-Agency Tasking and Coordination Meeting (MATAC)
Plymouth has launched a 12- month MATAC test and learn pilot which will run from March 2024 – March 2025. This is the first MATAC in the peninsula.
A MATAC is an action focussed multi-agency meeting to collectively hold and manage serial high risk, high harm perpetrators of Ddomestic Aabuse and encourage them to engage in behaviour change work to address their abusive behaviours.
The ethos is Support, Prevention, Diversion, Disruption, and Enforcement.
The MATAC has a fortnightly screening panel with representatives from police, probation and Ahimsa, a specialist organisations that works with perpetrators. The panel’s role is to use all the information available to assess whether the perpetrator fits the criteria for inclusion on MATAC. A along with development of a robust risk assessment for each perpetrator and actions to minimise risk.
Referral Criteria
Currently cases are being identified by police and partners are not able to refer into the MATAC.
Inclusion:
● High risk static / dynamic factors.
● Offences such as NFS, Burglary, stalking, harassment (social media, communications etc.),
● Threats to kill, C&C, rape / sexual offences.
● Perpetrator must have at least two previous victims in their history.
● Domestic Abuse offences have to be within 6 months.
● High Recency, Frequency, Gravity (RFG) score.
Exclusion:
● On court bail for Domestic Abuse offences.
● Going through Family Courts.
● Unaddressed significant mental health issues such as schizophrenia / bi-polar etc.
Despite the criteria, each case will be discussed on its own merit and concessions may be considered.
Safeguarding Children
A MARAC referral does not replace normal children’s safeguarding procedures. If you are concerned about the safety of a child due to Domestic Abuse please speak to the safeguarding lead within your organisation and/or the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).