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  • Police cautions overused to hit targets, says Dyfed-Powys PCC

    A police and crime commissioner has pledged to end his officers' culture of issuing cautions for serious offences.

    Dyfed-Powys Police were more likely to give cautions than any other force in Wales or England, with 45% of serious offenders being warned not prosecuted.

    Christopher Salmon blamed "target culture" and has ordered a review.
     
    Wales' four police forces last year issued cautions for offences including assault, sexual offences, burglary and drugs trafficking and supply offences.
     
    The average rate of serious crimes dealt with by caution across Wales and England was 26% with more than 200,000 people cautioned last year.
     
    South Wales Police had the lowest rate of cautions issued with just 19% of offenders issued with one.
     
    Cautions are recorded in crime figures as detections and though not regarded as convictions they do result in a criminal record for the offender.
     
    Click here to read more about this story.
     
  • Daniel Craig donates stool to WWA's Balck Tie Charity Gala!

    James Bond actor Daniel Craig has donated a stool used on the film SKYFALL to WWA's Black Tie Charity Gala.

    The stool, signed by the actor, will be auctioned at the event taking place on the 12th of April at the The Vale Resort, Hensol Park, Vale of Glamorgan.

  • WWA response to South Wales Police being investigated for handling of crimes relating to violence against women

    This comment is in response to the Guardian news story on 10th March 2013, which revealed that ‘victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape say they were left at risk following fundamental errors’. 

    The IPCC is conducting five investigations into South Wales Police’s handlings of VAW cases, just two years after an investigation into the deaths of four women in South Wales as a result of domestic violence. A further investigation is being conducted into a complaint from another alleged victim of domestic violence who says that details of her allegations of domestic abuse perpetrated against her by South Wales police officer partner were leaked to him by colleagues, putting her at risk. 

    Click here to view the story on the Guardian website. 
  • International Women's Day - Charity Song

    Welsh singer/songwriter Rye Milligan is releasing his debut EP, IMPACT, and will be donating the proceeds to Welsh Women's Aid.

    Rye said "This song is about rising up, and standing up against abuse to women, mental and physical".

    Rye will be donating £1 from every copy of the EP sold between the 8th of March 2013 and 8th of March 2014 to Welsh Women's Aid.

  • NGO Anti-Trafficking Forum Wales launches petition
    On the 6th April 2013, a European Directive to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings and protect victims (2011/36/EU) comes into force. If implemented fully in the UK, it could help make the fight against human trafficking more effective, and provide a much improved lifeline of protection and safety to children, women and men who have been trafficked across the UK.
    Full implementation of the Directive is widely supported and endorsed by the NGO Anti-Trafficking Forum Wales, the Cross Party Group on Human Trafficking at the National Assembly for Wales and Group of Experts on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA). It is also an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss, to ensure the protection of some of the most vulnerable people in society.If you want the UK Government to protect lives at risk and commit in full to ending human trafficking in Wales and the UK without exceptions or spin, click here to add your name to the petition.

     

     

     

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Domestic abuse is the actual or threatened physical, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial abuse of a woman by a partner, family member or someone with whom there is, or has been, a close relationship. This abuse also relates to the perpetrator allowing or causing a child to witness, or be at risk of witnessing, domestic abuse.

Welsh Women's Aid support the UN Violence Against Women definition of domestic abuse

It starts with screams and must never end in silence. 12% to 15% of European women over 16 have suffered domestic abuse in a relationship – too many have died. Many more continue to suffer physical and sexual violence from former partners, even after the break-up. It's time to find a way out!

Council of Europe

What is domestic abuse?

Welsh Women’s Aid define domestic abuse as "the actual or threatened physical, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial abuse of a woman by a partner, family member or someone with whom there is, or has been, a close relationship. This abuse also relates to the perpetrator allowing or causing a child to witness, or be at risk of witnessing, domestic abuse."

Domestic abuse essentially involves the misuse of power and exercise of control by one person over another with whom there is or has been a close relationship.

Domestic abuse occurs irrespective of gender, race, class, age, religion, sexuality, mental ability, physical ability, income, lifestyle or geographical area of residence.

Statistics show that 97% of reported incidences of domestic abuse are perpetrated by men against women. However, Welsh Women's Aid recognises that domestic abuse can occur within same sex relationships and that, in a very small number of cases, women are the perpetrators of abuse.

Research has shown that 22% of lesbian and bisexual women have experienced domestic abuse, but that it is even less likely to be reported from this group. Women's Aid groups are committed to supporting all female victims of domestic abuse.

You can see Frequently Asked Questions about Domestic Abuse on the Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline website.

There are many different forms of domestic abuse but they fall mainly into 4 categories. These are:

For more information about abuse, you can visit the Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline website