Regional housing provider joins global campaign against domestic violence
Social landlord Trent & Dove has recently become White Ribbon accredited in recognition of its commitment to ending harmful cultures and fostering a positive environment that enables women to thrive in the workplace and in its communities.
The organisation, which owns more than 6,000 homes across East Staffordshire, South Derbyshire, and Northwest Leicestershire, has joined the campaign that encourages people, especially men and boys, to take individual and collective action to change behaviour and culture that leads to abuse and violence.
Trent & Dove has formed a working group, led by head of supported housing, Jen Tennant Foster and housing and support manager, Emma Bailey, and sponsored by neighbourhoods director, Martyn Hale.
The group will work to implement nine commitments, including reviewing its policy, appointing an internal lead for domestic Abuse and training all staff to identify and support those at risk.
Jen Tennant Foster said: “Being White Ribbon accredited shows our commitment to ending the harmful culture of male violence against women. Violence against women, whether it occurs within the workplace, or outside of an organisation, is a serious, prevalent and preventable issue.
“We believe that our commitment to enabling people and communities to thrive, means that we are well placed to help with this campaign. To give a sense of the problem, we know from our work with the police in East Staffordshire, that a third of the calls they received last year, were about domestic abuse. ”
Trent & Dove is the sixth housing association in the UK to become White Ribbon accredited. Nationwide there are more than 160 organisations who have made this commitment including many police forces, local authorities and large corporate organisations like the BT Group.
For more information visit the White Ribbon website. For local support contact New Era, the domestic abuse service operating across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent: on 0808 1689 111.