Partnerships

Everyone has a role to play in tackling domestic abuse and our aim is to bring together a diverse range of people and organisations who have lived experience of domestic abuse and/or those who are working to support survivors.. This work is led by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Practice and Partnerships team. The team is regionally based and covers the whole of England and Wales acting as the eyes and ears of the office and building strong contacts in local areas. 

Why we work with different stakeholders 

By engaging with a range of stakeholders, we aim to ensure that their feedback helps shape the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s priorities and recommendations to Government.  

Who we work with:  

  • Victims and survivors 
  • National domestic abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) organisations and services  
  • Local domestic abuse and VAWG organisations and services 
  • Local Authorities and the Local Government Association  
  • Police and Crime Commissioners and the Association of PCCS 
  • Police Force Domestic Abuse and VAWG Leads and the National Police Chiefs Council  
  • Health providers, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), and NHS England and NHS Wales 
  • UK Government Departments – officials and Ministers  
  • Welsh Government – officials and Ministers  
  • Other Statutory Commissioners and their Offices (like the Victims’ Commissioner, Children’s Commissioner and Anti-Slavery Commissioner)  
  • Non-Governmental Organisations (such as those working on housing and homelessness, substance misuse and mental health, or with children) 
  • Academics and think-tanks 
  • Foreign governments  
  • International non-government organisations  
  • Private sector 

How we work 

Geographic Leads from the Practice and Partnerships team will build relationships with stakeholders locally and regionally.  

We are always open to making new connections and hearing from new voices, especially those from underrepresented groups. If you think there is anyone,we should be engaged with who we are not already, please do let us know.  

In addition to relationships with individual stakeholders, we will work to understand existing mechanisms and fora for engagement and strategic discussions on domestic abuse. Geographic Leads will engage in these mechanisms or fora where they already exist in their respective regions, as well as work to assess where and how a DAC facilitated networks or events could add value.  

If you would like to invite the Office to a local or regional forum or group, or have suggestions for any networks or events, please contact us. 

You can email the Practice and Partnerships Team at [email protected] 

DAC Illustration of people

Regional forums

As the work of the Practice and Partnership Regional Leads develops, we will work with local partners to understand existing mechanisms for regional engagement and strategic discussions on domestic abuse. The Regional Leads will engage in these fora where they already exist in their respective regions, as well as work to assess where and how a DAC Office Regional Forum could add value. The forums will therefore likely take different shapes in different areas, but all will have the underlying aim of bringing together a wide range of expertise and perspectives from across the coordinated community response to domestic abuse, in order to identify and develop responses to common challenges, share best practice and innovation and identify opportunities for strengthen collaboration.  These forums will be informed by victim and survivor voices. The forum discussions will be fed into the central DAC Office in order to inform the development of policy positions, recommendations and priorities, as well as the identification of issues that require escalating to the national level.