Greater Manchester establishes Housing Reciprocal across all 10 boroughs for victims of domestic violence
An agreement across all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester has been approved so that victims of domestic abuse can be rehomed in suitable housing in any borough.
The reciprocal, following the lead of agreements such as the 2017 establishment of the Pan-London Housing Reciprocal, was put into place by Greater Manchester to tackle gender-based violence.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said: “Previously victims could only be rehomed within their borough, and this is still the case in most other parts of the UK, which can cause further trauma and be unsafe for victims.”
The city has now unveiled a new two-year plan to further address the issue of gender-based violence.
The GMCA said it hopes that the two-year plan will act as a blueprint for how the Government can meet its targets to cut violence against women and girls by 50% through a variety of successful projects.
Recent results of the city’s focus on gender-based violence include:
- Lived Experience Panel: this is “comprised of inspirational women who, drawing on their own diverse experiences of gender-based violence, have committed to working with GMCA to develop and deliver transformational and creative responses to the challenge posed by gender-based violence”.
- Lotus Hub: providing support and advocacy for ethnically minoritised women who have experienced domestic abuse, and abuse of their immigration status.
- Domestic Abuse Crisis Workers pilot: Piloted in Bolton and Salford, domestic abuse workers were funded to join Greater Manchester Police when attending reports of domestic abuse to provide emotional and psychological support and signpost to support services.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said: “Everyone in Greater Manchester deserves to be able to live well without the fear of abuse or violence. I am clear that we cannot achieve our ambitious vision for Greater Manchester without preventing and tackling the entrenched problem of gender-based violence in all its forms…
“While we are making a difference there is still more to do. Misogynistic attitudes and offences such as sexual violence, domestic abuse and stalking and harassment continues to happen.
“This has no place in Greater Manchester, and I believe that our city-region can lead the way in eradicating gender-based violence. This Delivery Plan and our wider Gender-Based Violence Strategy makes clear how we intend to do that.”
Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Safer and Stronger Communities, Kate Green said: “Gender-based violence has a long-lasting impact on those who experience it and can shatter people’s lives. The ambition and scale of our Delivery Plan reflects our determination to root it out, with coordinated action across services and our communities.
“I’m proud of the progress we have made in the first two years of our Gender-Based Violence Strategy.
“The establishment of our Lived Experience Panel has been particularly important to us, and its members are critical to ensuring we change the way we do things for the better in Greater Manchester.”
Greater Manchester’s full two-year strategy is available here.
Harry Rodd
