The CDP is supporting the launch of a seminar to promote existing joint working when dealing with domestic violence cases.

The Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) will be opened by Vernon Coaker, Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office, at Central Police Station in Nottingham on Thursday 1 November 2007.

Nottinghamshire Police joined forces with Women´s Aid Advice Centre (WAAC), and other partner agencies to form the MARAC in Nottingham city in April this year. The work is based on national best practice when dealing with domestic violence cases most at risk of suffering further violence.

The MARAC is a forum that brings agencies together to agree joined up action to prevent further harm to survivors of domestic violence and their children. It aims to reduce risk of serious harm or homicide by identifying risk factors and supporting survivors.

Central to this is the work of the Independent Domestic Violence Advocated (IDVAs) who focus on providing a premium service including safety plans and support through to court for those who have reported offences.

Nationally, an average of only two per cent of the population are reporting these crimes, while in Nottingham, 6.5 per cent of domestic violence offences are reported.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Murphy, who is championing the MARAC process, said: "Some of the figures relating to domestic violence are simply quite shocking. With a population of around 100,000 women in Nottingham, we understand one in ten currently live with domestic violence."

"We are beginning to see the benefits of partnership work within the MARAC. As we monitor repeat offending and incident rates, there are early signs that MARAC intervention is having a positive affect. We see this reflects the national picture where MARACs have been in place for longer. "

"This conference is all about raising awareness, both for the stakeholders of agencies in the city, but also the public."

"We need the capacity for this higher level of demand and feel the initial funding for IDVAs is positive and trust this will continue for the medium to long term. Each case that meets the MARAC risk threshold is referred to the MARAC can cost up to 14,000 including police response, visits to doctors and hospitals, medication, and prosecution. The cost benefits of the support given to survivors of domestic violence are self-evident."

"The MARAC provides a significant level of support to high-risk cases and will continue to make a difference in the lives of women to make choices in their life."

Jane Lewis, Domestic Violence Strategy Officer for the CDP, who was part of the team which established the MARAC said:

"The CDP funded the Independent domestic violence advocate (IDVA) role and supported the launch of the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) from the start and I am delighted that this initiative has been so successful so far."

"With IDVA's supporting survivors as part of a partnership response from agencies in Nottingham, we have reduced repeat calls to the police from survivors whose cases are taken to the MARAC from 33% to about 10% which means survivors and their children are safer and perpetrators are being held to account."

"The challenge for the future is for Nottingham Partnerships to ensure that this initiative continues and we continue to drive down the violent crime of domestic abuse."

A Crimestoppers campaign was earlier this month, to raise awareness of domestic violence and ask the public to report concerns about potential domestic violence victims.

Nottingham Women's Aid 24 hour free phone help line 0808 800 0340 and 0341 text phone with language line for help and support on domestic violence for survivors and agencies working with survivors.