Before delivering our own workshop on building safety (more on that here), we attended a powerful session led by Nicki Clarke, Head of Housing at Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse. 

The facts Nicki provided were stark. 2.3 million people experience domestic abuse each year, and for many, their home is often the most dangerous place. Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse’s website states 75% of women killed by their partner or ex-partner in England and Wales are killed in their own home. 

One particular area Nicki touched on during the session was economic abuse, which 95% of domestic abuse survivors will experience. This extends beyond more narrowly understood financial abuse (such as controlling or stealing money or coercing someone into debt) and includes restricting a victim’s wider access to essential resources such as food, transport, employment or housing. It can also involve the use of rent arrears and tenancy obligations as tools of control. 

It was clear that a positive safeguarding culture must be embedded in a housing provider’s organisation at all levels, from the Board to front-line staff. Spotting the signs of abuse may not be obvious – examples given during the talk included a frequently broken bathroom door lock or reports from neighbours of arguing. All front-line staff must be aware of the signs of domestic abuse (including economic abuse as discussed above) and know how and when to escalate concerns. Contractors will also play an essential role, and it would be sensible to embed expectations regarding safeguarding and escalation of potential concerns within agreements and contract management meetings. 

In addition to this, staff need to feel empowered to exercise their professional curiosity and not simply accept what they see at the surface level. 

Nicki spoke about how different approaches from housing providers could improve outcomes for victims of domestic abuse. She suggested consideration could be given to moving the perpetrator to a different property rather than the victim, and whether, when faced with tenancy breaches, a safeguarding-led, rather than enforcement-led approach, may help to build better engagement and a stronger trust with those experiencing abuse. 

The important role of housing providers in respect of supporting those who are and have experienced domestic abuse is clear. Housing providers are uniquely placed to identify domestic abuse before it reaches a crisis point. By joining the dots across their various functions, organisations can support earlier intervention, help residents remain safely housed, and contribute to holding perpetrators to account. Proposed changes under the Social Housing Bill, including the introduction of an absolute ground for possession in domestic abuse cases (discussed further in our colleague’s blog here), also represent a positive step to securing better outcomes for victims of domestic abuse. 

Anthony Collins’ regulatory team supports providers in understanding their legal and regulatory safeguarding obligations (including through bespoke training for Boards, managers and operational staff) and in responding to complex incidents and concerns. If you have any questions or would like to know how we can support, please get in touch.