THE battle to tackle domestic violence in West Devon will be stepped up today (Thursday) when funding for a major support programme for victims is announced.
Police officer Sgt Gary Neeves, chairman of the West Devon Domestic Violence Forum, will tell a special meeting of the group this afternoon that Comic Relief has given them £63,000 towards setting up an 'Outreach' service and telephone helpline.
The project is estimated to cost a total of £90,000 — £17,000 of matching funding is available locally and the group is currently looking at ways of raising the remaining £10,000.
The West Devon service will be managed by the South Devon Women's Aid group which operates a similar service in its own area.
The first step will be to recruit a co-ordinator and sort out an office in Okehampton from where the whole of the borough will be covered.
The telephone helpline will be operated by 12 volunteers who will be specially trained to deal with domestic violence.
'The aim of the service will be to help people make decisions that are right for them within their own environment,' said Sgt Neeves.
The forum was set up in September last year as part of the Government's co-ordinated approach to tackle crime and disorder.
It includes social services, police, health, education, the voluntary sector, Okehampton's Home Start, victim support, West Devon Borough Council housing department and South Devon Women's Aid outreach service.
The aim is to reduce incidences of domestic violence and provide support to survivors.
There is a refuge already in Plymouth, which would take people from West Devon, but it was felt to be too far from people's homes and families and the forum thought it would only be used by people in extreme circumstances.
The service in West Devon is expected to be up and running by the end of the summer.