North East Lincolnshire Council is taking part in a major national campaign to raise awareness of violence against women and girls.
The charity White Ribbon runs 16 days of action every November when it urges people to get involved in supporting ways in which their local areas can be made safer for women and girls.
Recent statistics show that in 2024-25, VAWG accounted for 21% of total offences in North East Lincolnshire. Of the 3,733 VAWG offences, 37% related to domestic abuse.
In a joint approach to look at way for women and girls to feel safe in the borough, North East Lincolnshire Council and Humberside Police are working together with other agencies to raise awareness and this includes taking part in the 16 days of action.
A council produced report released recently highlighted the vast amount of work being done such as education with young people in the borough and work with partners to promote initiatives such as “ask for Angel Street” and “ask for Angela”. The Community Safety Partnership have also undertaken work to engage with women and girls about their safety including workshops with students at Franklin College and Grimsby Institute.
The Community Safety Partnership have delivered Bystander Intervention Training to over 4000 students attending Franklin and Humberside Engineering and Training Association (HETA) over the past year.
Raising awareness of Clare’s Law is part of this work and is one of the things the council wants to highlight during the 16 days.
Clare’s Law also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, is a police policy giving people the right to know if their current or ex-partner has any previous history of violence or abuse.
You can also apply for a Clare’s Law check for a close friend or relative if you are worried about their relationship.
If police checks show that the person in question does have a record of violent or abusive behaviour and they believe you may be at risk, they will share the information with you. This is normally done in person with plenty of support from partner agencies such as North East Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Services.
Should your partner not be known to the police, or if checks suggest that there is no threat to your safety, the police will tell you so.
Cllr Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities said: “Clare’s Law is a brilliant scheme for finding out if your partner has an abusive past, allowing you to make an informed decision about your safety in your relationship.
“What’s great is that it doesn’t just take into account physical abuse. Clare’s Law can see if you’re at risk from coercive control, psychological abuse, economic abuse, and more, it really covers all the bases.”
Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Reuben, force lead for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) said: “The Clare’s Law (Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme) is a confidential process and a vital tool in helping people make informed decisions about their safety and partner. We work closely with partner agencies to ensure that anyone requesting this information receives the support they need throughout the process.
“If police checks show that your partner or ex-partner has a record of abusive behaviour, or there is other information to indicate that you may be at risk from your partner, we may be able to share this information with you. To make an application please visit our website.”
For help and advice regarding domestic abuse ring 01472 575757 (Option 1) or visit The Hub, 15 Wellowgate, DN32 0RA (for more information visit Domestic abuse | NELC). If you are in immediate danger ring 999.
For more information on Clare’s Law and how to make an application visit Request information under Clare’s Law: Make a Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) application | Humberside Police
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