Personal Safety - to ensure people and communities are safe, respected and free from violence and abuse

Action

We will increase the reports of Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence in Neath Port Talbot, through awareness raising and challenging attitudes

Progress 2020-2021

• Throughout the pandemic the Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) Communications and Engagement Sub Group, continued to promote all available support services and helplines, via social media posts, banners in areas of high footfall and leaflets in key locations across the borough.
• Reports of VAWDASV increased by 40% through the pandemic.
• Community Safety engagement events, unable to go ahead during this period, will resume during 2021-2022 as soon as restrictions allow.
• The revised ‘Healthy Relationships for Stronger Communities Strategy’ - the council and health board joint response to the Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 was approved by Cabinet in June 2020.

Action

We will increase awareness in children and young people of the importance of safe, equal and healthy relationships and that abusive behaviour is always wrong

Progress 2020-2021

• The delivery of age appropriate healthy relationship lessons into schools resumed during the period, following a pause due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
• The Relationship and Sexuality Education Sub Group has overall responsibility for the development and implementation of this lesson. This group is coordinated by the Community Safety Team and chaired by the Senior Youth and Community Officer in the Neath Port Talbot Youth Service. Young people accessing Youth Services also have the opportunity to receive information and advice on all forms of domestic abuse.
• The 2020 and 2021 Crucial Crew events, which include a Healthy Relationships workshop, for Year 6 pupils have not taken place due to the pandemic. However, a virtual Crucial Crew film has been developed and uploaded onto the Hwb network for use by schools.
• We are hopeful that the face-to-face event can be held during 2022.

Action

Provide all victims with equal access to appropriately resourced, high quality, needs led, strength based, gender responsive services across Neath Port Talbot

Progress 2020-2021

• Work continues on a commissioning review of all specialist support services across the borough, to ensure we are meeting people’s needs and able to offer a wide variety of supported accommodation, emergency accommodation and community based support, for all those who need it. Work also continues on ensuring we have accessible appropriate service for marginalised groups in our communities.
• Existing services are regularly promoted and reviewed

Action

We will work with members of local equality groups, partners and our communities to encourage the reporting of hate incidents/crime and ensure people get support which is fit for purpose

Progress 2020-2021

• Community Safety employ a Community Cohesion Officer, who works as part of a wider regional team across Swansea and Bridgend. The post holder also provides two days of support to our local BME Community Association. Both aspects of the role work well to ensure we are regularly promoting appropriate services, and encouraging reporting of incidents or matters of concern through to the right channels. Anecdotal information from engagement events and consultations is also used to steer future campaigns and initiatives.

Action

We will support the use of the BME Community Association Access Card (to help breakdown language barriers when accessing service)

Progress 2020-2021

• Progress was suspended with the outbreak of the pandemic but it is anticipated that this will be progressed during autumn 2021.

Action

We will support the BME Community Association to build on the work already undertaken in the Community Profiling exercise as well as to extend its scope  

Progress 2020-2021

• Work to consider appropriate mechanisms to progress this action was suspended during 2020-2021. However, this work will resume during 2021-2022

Action

We will develop an action plan in response to the feedback from the Community Cohesion Survey

Progress 2020-2021

While some of the feedback from the Brexit Survey (misquoted in the action) remains valid the environment in which that was undertaken has changed dramatically with the outbreak of the pandemic, the BLM movement and other events over the last year.

The findings of the Let’s Talk survey, currently underway, will identify what is important for people currently and in the future and it is likely many of the actions to meet the equality objectives, and in particular this action, will require amendment/revision.

Action

We will continue to work with the BME Community Association to further understand the lived experiences of members of our BAME communities, particularly in relation of their experiences of hate incidents/crimes  

Progress 2020-2021

• The BME Community Association as part of the engagement activity undertaken to help inform the Welsh Government’s REAP recorded an insight into the lived experiences of members of our BME communities. With the support and assistance of our Vulnerable Learners Service and our Community Cohesion Officer and Regional Community Cohesion Coordinator the Association has been able to help identify issues in partnership which we are/can address.
• This work will also inform our recovery planning due to commence in autumn 2021.