A plan to increase awareness and understanding of domestic abuse has been launched by the Housing Executive.
The organisation said its ‘Domestic Abuse Action Plan‘ would focus on "supporting those affected“.
The plan includes 16 actions recognising the impact the Housing Executive can have as a landlord to more than 80,000 tenants.
It also recognises its responsibility to respond to homelessness in Northern Ireland.
Richard Tanswell, head of homelessness policy and strategy, said the action plan was “an important step in ensuring the Housing Executive can strengthen its response to domestic abuse” in the north.
“We recognise the important role that the Housing Executive has in addressing domestic abuse and the long-term impact this can have on people and their families,” he said.
“Our action plan has been developed to ensure staff can provide the best support to tenants, customers and colleagues and are equipped with the knowledge to signpost to appropriate services when required.
“We understand domestic abuse can be a contributing factor in homelessness and this is why our new action plan has been developed to support the delivery of our Homelessness Strategy, which has a vision of ‘Ending Homelessness Together’.
“As such, a key part of the plan is to increase the promotion of the Sanctuary Scheme as a possible homelessness prevention measure.
“A multi-agency, victim-centred initiative, the Sanctuary Scheme enables Housing Executive tenants at risk of domestic abuse to remain safely in their own homes.
“Another important action identified in the plan is the need to engage with minority groups and this will be a guiding principle of our work on domestic abuse going forward.”
Sarah Mason, CEO of Women’s Aid Federation NI, said: “We have a long-established history of successful partnership working with the Housing Executive, which is held in high regard by both organisations.
“This relationship has seen major initiatives over the last 40 years to address the impact of domestic abuse on women, children and young people within a homelessness setting.”
