Powerful new film calls for action on domestic abuse. Campaigners say they want the film to spark change in the spirit of the Suffragette motto ‘Deeds Not Words’.
Our Derby Speaks Up film amplifies the voices of local domestic abuse survivors and their advocates, with calls for local services to be improved. Launched at the International Women’s Day Festival 2025, the campaign calls for early intervention, engaging those who are causing harm or abuse to do the work to change their behaviour, for safer relationships.
“With misogyny rising, amplified by online influencers, and an associated rise in abuse and violence against women, it is important to step up efforts” says the Derby Speaks Up project manager Vanessa Boon, “eight women are killed every month by a current or former male partner in the UK. Women make up 70% of victims of reported domestic abuse and 94% of victims in cases referred to MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference) where agencies meet to address the highest-risk domestic abuse cases. We’ve all heard public reports about how the system is letting victims down and delivering too little, too late. We want help for people of all genders, both as victims and for people who want to change their behaviour, but we cannot overlook the much higher rates of men’s abuse, severe injury and murder of women. This is a public health emergency that calls for early intervention”.
Survey: Strong local public support for early intervention programmes
Our public survey of 120 participants from Derby and Derbyshire, found:
- Over 80% of people strongly supported the idea of early intervention, combining support for victims and engaging the people causing harm or abuse in a behaviour change programme. A further 15% quite supported the idea.
- 71% said they know someone who could benefit from such a programme.
- 69% of respondents said that they could have been helped by a funded non-police programme to change harmful behaviour had it been available.
- 90% said they would encourage someone they know to engage in a programme to address unhealthy relationship behaviour.
Dialogue with local agencies to spark action
The film and survey results were presented at an International Women’s Day event. Attendees also heard evidence from evaluations of perpetrator programmes across the UK, which found that they deliver reduced risk and improvements for all affected, including victims and children. Representatives from the police, council and charity sector attended as well as survivors and campaigners to consider actions in response to the proposal for expanding local early intervention approaches. Though some frontline staff and middle managers took part in the event, campaigners are keen to urge a response from senior leaders of local agencies to ensure that change is driven forward from the top as well as efforts from grassroots groups and frontline workers.
“There are some local programmes engaging people who need to change their harmful behaviour and they are delivering encouraging results. However, they are limited, with short-term funding and mostly aimed at people with medium to high-risk cases already known to the police” Vanessa explains “research shows that victims typically endure fifty incidents before getting help, and people who abuse tend to develop a pattern of serial abuse with an average of seven victims. We are urging more options to get in earlier and via alternative routes to the police due to all the barriers to that path. Where self-referrals and proactive community-based programmes are offered they are delivering positive results. This is good for victims and families, both in cases where it is possible to achieve a safer relationship and when a victim chooses to leave, with a package of support. Many cases will never be reported or reach a courtroom and survivors say they don’t want the same abuse to happen to the next person their ex-partner goes on to date”.
Survivors and campaigners present arguments in favour of early intervention in the new film, pointing out that as well as being the right thing to do to reduce harm and suffering, it is also wise to invest public funds in earlier intervention to prevent escalation. They highlight the higher costs of later reactive call-outs to the police, NHS A&E and mental healthcare demand and expensive lengthy court cases.
Making the film
We are grateful to, and inspired by, the brave survivors and advocates speaking up in the film. Campaigners worked with Relish Video Productions to create the film and a series of short animations on local women’s experiences of misogyny, thanks to funding via the Rosa: Voices From The Frontline Fund. These films have been gifted to society to use for positive education and change, with local teachers and organisations already pledging to use them within education and staff training. Donations in support of this volunteer-powered work are appreciated via https://localgiving.org/charity/international-womens-day-iwd-derby
The films were shown on a big screen over the two-day International Women’s Day Derby Festival on 7-8th March 2025, which reached around 1000 people, as well as being shared online.
Support the campaign:
- Write to your local MP or Councillor (click here for a quick online form that finds and emails your local politicians for you) asking them to back funding for earlier intervention behaviour change programmes for safer relationships – be sure to include this link to our campaign video: https://youtu.be/t_9dH-0vjis?si=RzPgmREcAszXMjgl
- Screen the film in your trade union, team or community groups meetings and mobilise people to back the campaign; contact Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner with your group’s views via this contact page
- Donate to support our work
- Contact us to volunteer your support – thank you for being a changemaker!