00:01One year on from the introduction of Reneem's Law in Northumbria, police are setting out how
00:06a specialist domestic abuse advisor role inside their control rooms is now being used in day-to-day
00:12operations. The approach places independent domestic violence advisors alongside call
00:18handlers, so expert safeguarding advice is available as soon as a domestic abuse report
00:23comes in. The aim is to support early decision making, strengthen risk identification and
00:29improve the consistency of response when officers are first alerted to concerns.
00:34Reneem's Law is a Home Office-backed initiative introduced in memory of Reneem Ouda and Keola
00:39Saleem, who were murdered by Reneem's ex-husband in the West Midlands in August 2018, after a
00:45number of reports were made to police relating to her safety. Police say the scheme helps ensure
00:52that early information is assessed with specialist input, particularly where victims may not disclose
00:58abuse immediately or where risk is not fully visible at the point of contact.
01:04Force figures show advisors have provided operational advice or intelligence checks to responding
01:10officers in hundreds of instances and reviewed hundreds of cases to ensure victim-centered
01:15approaches were followed. They have also checked body-worn video in selected cases, carried out risk
01:21assessment reviews and referred victims into local support services. Northumbria Police and Crime
01:27Commissioner Susan Dungworth said tackling violence against women and girls is a key priority in my
01:33plan for safer streets and stronger communities and I am pleased to hear the positive impact it's making
01:39upskilling and supporting call handlers in how they liaise with the victim and advising attending
01:45officers at the scene. She added, so by having a specialist sat alongside call handlers, they can pass on
01:52their expertise to help not only better protect and support the victim, but hopefully support the
01:58investigative side too, so we can get offenders before the courts. The force says contact handlers
02:03and officers are increasingly using the advisors proactively, with requests for support and updates
02:09to case logs now forming part of routine practice. This news follows a government announcement in March,
02:15detailing nationwide plans to design safer streets as nine in ten women report feeling unsafe walking
02:22at night. In regards to these plans, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said there needs to be a radical
02:29change in how we design and think about public spaces and public transport with funding to match.
02:34She said, in the North East, we're already backing that with action, listening to women's livid experiences
02:40and investing millions in better-lit bus stops and stations, safer waiting areas and public spaces
02:47that feel welcoming, not intimidating. Women should not have to plan their journeys around fear and spaces
02:53they need to avoid. Safety must be built into how our streets and transport networks are designed.
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