This is a brief summary of what has been a continuous process of consultation with service users and potential users. Since partnership work on domestic abuse and abuse started in Devon since 2001 engagement with users has been at the heart of shaping services.

• Report on Survivor Consultation, June 2002
• Why Victims of Domestic Violence Withdraw charges made against the Perpetrator, May 2003
• Domestic Violence Schools Liaison Consultancy Project  2004
• Devon County Council Employee domestic abuse survey, 2004
• Evaluation of Pattern Changing Courses, 2004
• Raising the Survivor Voice in Devon, November 2005
• Agency Reports: Responding to the Survivor’s Voice, September 2006
• Devon County Council Employee domestic abuse survey, 2007
• Consultation project with female survivors of domestic abuse in Devon 2008
• Devon Voice, 2009
• BME Consultation 2009

In 2001 a mapping exercise was completed to determine what services existed and service gaps in Devon.  

Report on Survivor Consultation, June 2002

In 2002 (May) a consultation took place to learn from survivors what they wanted and what they perceived the service gaps to be; and from service providers about what they thought should be introduced. See Report on consultation (June 2002) (119KB - pdf help)

The findings from this consultation resulted in the first strategy for Devon: Devon Domestic Violence Strategy 2002 – 2005 (October 2002) (96KB - pdf help).

Why Victims of domestic violence withdraw charges made against the perpetrator, a qualitative study; Mandeville-Norden, R, Mewse, A (May 2003) (102KB - pdf help)

This consultation research was commissioned to address concerns about the number of victims who were withdrawing from the criminal justice system.

Domestic Violence Schools Liaison Consultancy Project  2004, Bedford, C & Mudge, A (107KB - pdf help)

Adva asked the Education Psychology Service to identify the impact of awareness raising in schools and how effective this was in improving understanding of domestic violence and abuse amongst staff.

Devon County Council Employee domestic abuse survey, 2004 (87KB - pdf help)

Adva, hosted by Devon County Council, was keen to identify the scale and impact of domestic abuse within the workplace. A survey went out to over 6,000 employees and there was an unprecedented response from staff – over 900 responses in just a few hours. The findings from the survey were influential on DCC’s Corporate Management Board who determined to introduce measures to better safeguard its staff.

Evaluation of Pattern Changing Courses, 2004 (791KB - pdf help)

Adva has funded pattern-changing courses for women survivors over many years. It is seen to be one of the best programmes to influence positive change in women. This consultation came at a time when adva wanted to expand the programme from North Devon across the whole county. The courses success has lead to adva funding 25 programmes in 2009-10.

Raising the Survivor Voice in Devon (453KB - pdf help); Chapman, P & Bednarek, S (November 2005)

In May 2005 the adva partnership commissioned a study entitled ‘Raising the Survivor Voice’ which sought to gather the views of female survivors of domestic abuse about the services they received across Devon. The results of this work were presented at the annual conference in November 2005 which, for the first time, focused entirely on senior agency representatives hearing survivors’ views.

Agency Reports: Responding to the Survivor’s Voice (151KB - pdf help), September 2006

This consultation was a follow-up on the November 2005 survivor-lead conference. Agencies presented what actions they had taken to address the issues raised by survivors the previous year.

Devon County Council Employee domestic abuse survey, 2007 (112KB - pdf help)

Devon County Council wanted to measure the impact of its specific domestic violence interventions – publicity, introduction of policy, training of managers, introduction of a DVAC (domestic violence and abuse contact) scheme – and so undertook a follow-up consultation from the 2004 staff survey.

Consultation project with female survivors of domestic abuse in Devon 2008 (251KB - pdf help)

This consultation with survivors in Devon was undertaken by one of Devon’s SEEDS members and continues to address survivors views on Devon’s services.

Devon Voice Survey 2009 (71KB - pdf help)

Devon County Council surveyed a resident’s panel of approximately 1100 people from Devon. Some questions related specifically to domestic violence and abuse – their knowledge of services and take-up of such services in the county.

BME Consultation 2009

The BME/DV Action Group has consulted widely across Devon’s minority ethnic communities. The findings are being collated and a report is anticipated by end 2009. See our Black and Ethnic Minorities and domestic violence section for more information.