Families in Wiltshire wanting to report domestic abuse will be able to access a new out of hours number from this week. Wiltshire Council will be operating a dedicated line from 5pm weekdays and all over the weekend for people who want to report concerns or seek help.
During the week, Splitz provides a support service on behalf of Wiltshire Council. The charity supports victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, as well as children and young people impacted by domestic abuse. It carries out interventions and provides safe accommodation for victims and their children.
During the pandemic and beyond, Splitz has adapted its services and continues to deliver a high level of service to those in need. The volume of self-referrals into Splitz had increased by 50% during the pandemic, which shows that vulnerable people do know how and where to access local help. Currently Splitz receives around 60 to 70 referrals each week for support.
The new dedicated out of hours line is 01225 712880 and will take over from the Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service, which has kindly provided additional out of hours telephone support to Wiltshire residents over recent months.
The helpline is one of the strands for supporting domestic abuse victims.
Last week the Wiltshire Council cabinet agreed to spend £830k of government funding on a range of measures that meet the strict criteria for the government funding. The funding will be used to provide support for all victims of domestic abuse and their children, regardless of their relevant protected characteristics, within relevant supported accommodation.