Wiltshire Police Strengthens Domestic Abuse Response Through Workforce Training and Partnership Support

Throughout October, Wiltshire Police has intensified its efforts to improve awareness and response to domestic abuse incidents across the county.

This initiative has included enhanced training for officers and staff at all levels—from frontline responders to investigators and partner services. The Force recognises that equipping its workforce with the right skills is essential to delivering a more effective and compassionate response to victims of domestic abuse.

A combination of bite-sized learning modules and mandatory training sessions has been delivered throughout the month. These efforts have been supported by close collaboration with partner organisations, particularly those working on the frontline.

Detective Chief Inspector Claire Smith, lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, said:“We appreciate that we need to invest in our staff to improve our response. Wiltshire Police recognises that domestic abuse is everybody’s responsibility within the Force, and it is vital that we better support vulnerable victims while robustly tackling offenders.

"This is not just a month of action. We want to encourage reporting for anyone suffering to speak to someone. There is support there, and we will listen.”

Wiltshire Police work closely with a range of victim support services, including Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) and Independent Sexual Violence Advocates (ISVAs), which are funded and provided through partnerships involving the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Wiltshire Council, and NHS England.

IDVAs are specialists in domestic abuse and provide crucial emotional and practical support to victims and survivors, helping to reduce the risk posed by perpetrators. 

ISVAs offer support to victims of all ages who have experienced rape or sexual harm—whether the offence occurred recently or in the past. Tailored support is also available for specific groups, such as young people and male victims.

T/Sergeant Ryan Price from Swindon Response said:“IDVAs have offered support from the very early stages of an investigation and assisted with safeguarding both during and after the custody process.

"I can confidently say this has resulted in a much better service being offered to our victims, as well as reassurance to officers and supervisors.”

Wiltshire Police remains committed to improving its response to domestic abuse and ensuring victims receive the support they need.