A CONFERENCE hoping to establish the Isle of Wight as a leader in tackling domestic abuse was held yesterday (Wednesday).
The fully booked Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) conference took place on November 30 at the Riverside Centre, with 120 delegates from domestic abuse organisations across the Island.
It aimed to raise awareness and reduce the risk of domestic homicide through early intervention.
Last year an estimated 1.4 million women experienced some form of domestic abuse in the UK, whilst 31 percent of women aged 18 to 24 report being sexual abused in childhood.
IW Council executive member for public health, public protection and PFI, Cllr Phil Jordan, said: "The council is an active member of the VAWG Strategic Partnership and this conference will help us to continue to work to eliminate barriers to accessing support and advice, to make sure that those who need help are able to receive when they need it."
David Huggins, IW Council domestic abuse coordinator, added: "We need to promote a change in culture to refocus the criminal justice response on recognising and addressing patterns of abuse."
There was a wide range of speakers on the day, including DCI Tim Rowlandson, strategic lead for domestic abuse from Hampshire Constabulary, Nick Gazzard, from the Hollie Gazzard Trust - which was he set up following the murder of his daughter in 2014, Zoe Lodrick, a registered psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience, and Fiona Gwinnett, chief executive of refuge and outreach organisation Wight DASH.
Conference organisers also commissioned 4.15, a craft installation by Island designer Lauren Fry highlighting the shocking statistic that last year one woman was killed as a result of domestic abuse every 4.15 days in the UK.
The piece is currently on display at Quay Arts.