MANX LOTTERY TRUST AWARDS £128,400 TO VICTIM SUPPORT IN BID TO TACKLE DOMESTIC ABUSE

A local charity has received significant funding to undertake proactive work against domestic abuse in the Isle of Man. 

Manx Lottery Trust, as part of its 2018/19 Thematic Funding, has awarded £128,400 to Victim Support, a charity committed to providing free and confidential help and support to people affected by crime, domestic abuse, death by road traffic collisions and unusual deaths.

The grant will be used to fund a project worker over a three year period who will work proactively to identify and support victims of domestic abuse in the Isle of Man. Applications are now closed for the job and an appointment will be made in the next few weeks.

Paula Gelling, Manager at Victim Support, explained: ‘Between 50-60% of our work in the local community is related to domestic abuse, however this is a reactive service which is only touching the surface.

‘Thanks to the generous funding from Manx Lottery Trust, we are now able to appoint a new project worker to tackle domestic abuse on the Isle of Man head-on and proactively seek anyone affected, with the aim to significantly reduce the number of victims.

‘The Isle of Man Constabulary’s 2017/18 Annual Report identified 120 cases of domestic assault, an increase of almost 30% from the previous year. Sadly, we’re aware that this type of abuse is largely  underreported with the latest Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) reporting that 83% of victims of domestic violence are unreported - which means there are people in our community too frightened to speak out and we need to change that.’

Victim Support’s new project worker will be responsible for a wide range of duties, namely seeking out anyone affected by domestic abuse and offering appropriate levels of support and guidance, as well as raising awareness of this type of crime on the Island.

Sarah Kelly, Chairman of Manx Lottery Trust, said: ‘The project met the criteria of our 2018/19 Thematic Funding - Mental Health and wellbeing - and we’re pleased to award funding to Victim Support for this further work to build and strengthen both individual and community resilience across the Island.’