Last year we led a multi-agency initiative which sought to use the internationally recognised White Ribbon Campaign [WRC] to shine a light on domestic abuse [DA] in Jersey. 

Domestic Abuse Week starts on Monday 21st November and on Friday 25th November we will be once again highlighting the WRC in conjunction with other locally based agencies such as the Jersey Women’s Refuge, the Youth Service, IDVA, Education and Prison! Me! No Way!!!

This year’s campaign will specifically highlight the effects of domestic abuse on children and as such, the Prison! Me! No Way!!! team are delivering DA lessons in every secondary school to specific year groups up until the 12th December.

Detective Inspector Mark Hafey, Head of the Public Protection Unit said,

“Approximately half of all domestic abuse incidents attended by the police see children within the household. Witnessing domestic abuse is really distressing for a young person, who can often see the abuse, hear it from another room, see a parent's injuries or distress afterwards or be physically hurt trying to stop the abuse. The emotional responses of children who witness domestic abuse may include fear, guilt, shame, sleep disturbances, sadness, depression, and anger. History tells us that domestic abuse may have a long term psychological and emotional impact on children. The work that PMNW are undertaking is vital for us to get the message to our young people that DA on any level is wholly unacceptable.”

In addition to the work being undertaken by the PMNW team there will be two stalls in town on Friday 25th November where staff from the Police, Jersey Woman’s Refuge, the Youth Service and the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor [IDVA] service will be available to talk to members of the public as well as handing out agency leaflets and literature. We will also be handing out White Ribbons for members of the public to wear in support of the campaign.

States Departments are also showing their support by taking team photos with our White Ribbon banners. We’ll start to post these photos on our social media sites from Monday 21st November.

DI Mark Hafey continued,

“It is magnificent that the agencies involved with tackling DA are once on board for the WRC. This year’s campaign is once again a multi-agency effort as we recognise that DA cannot be successfully tackled in isolation. For Jersey to make a positive difference to the lives of those affected by DA, which includes addressing the behaviour of perpetrators, takes consistent and committed partnership working. Domestic abuse affects every strand of society and one in four women will at some point in their lives suffer from DA. It can happen to anyone, regardless of age, social background, gender, religion, sexuality or ethnicity. It happens in all kinds of relationships: heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and is unacceptable on every level.”