Wiltshire Police has bolstered its approach to tackling domestic abuse, with officers and staff across the county taking part in specialist training.
The programme ran last month and was to strengthen awareness, improve victim support, and ensure a consistent and compassionate response to incidents of domestic abuse.
Training was delivered across all levels of the force, from frontline officers to investigators and partner agencies.
The initiative combined short learning modules with mandatory sessions designed to enhance understanding and confidence when dealing with complex domestic abuse cases.
It was supported by close collaboration with Wiltshire-based organisations that work directly with victims.
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 says it will continue to work alongside Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) and Independent Sexual Violence Advocates (ISVAs).
These specialist teams play a key role in helping victims rebuild their lives and access the right support.
IDVAs provide vital emotional and practical help to those affected by domestic abuse, while ISVAs assist victims of rape or sexual harm, regardless of when the offence occurred.
“Both services offer tailored support for different groups, including young people and men.
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.”
