domestic abuse and violence – Page 3 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

03Aug 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats hold Council to promise on findings from national CSE inquiry

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Oldham Council’s Safeguarding Partnership is working to introduce recommendations from the national Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA), following further work from the Liberal Democrat group on the Council. Having already received a promise from the Council that it would apply any relevant local recommendations into their work, Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani went through the last two IICSA reports in detail to identify those that applied, and demanded a detailed response from the Council on how they were being implemented. Those recommendations have now been taken to Oldham’s Safeguarding Partnership by the Managing Director of the Children & Young People team, who will then be reporting back on what specific actions are being taken. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “We worked hard to ensure that the Council made that commitment, but we…

11Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Domestic abuse victims to get priority for council accommodation

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Victims of violence in the home are to get automatically prioritised for council accommodation following a changes to the law in the Domestic Abuse Act. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani has welcome the changes, saying that it is a “clear move to provide support for victims, and simple, practical improvements to help people get away from abusers”. Previously, victims had to be separately assessed as being ‘vulnerable’ as a result of domestic abuse to be identified as having a priority need. Now, domestic abuse will be a standalone reason for qualifying. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “It’s terrifying to know how many people are victims of this. There are over 400 cases a month reported across the UK, and this is known to be a massively underreported crime. “How would you…

29Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Safer streets fund opportunity for Oldham

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

The addition of £25 million from the Home Office into the Safer Streets fund is an opportunity for Oldham to improve its work in schools to combat violence against women and girls, and combat public street harassment, says local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani With the opportunity to bid for up to £550,000, Councillor Al-Hamdani has written to Oldham Council to ensure that they apply to run a programme later this year, such as introducing educational and community programmes across the Borough. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “Oldham Council already pledged to support Our Streets Now’s work to improve education in schools to combat harassment, and it is vital that we take every opportunity to change the culture around violence and abuse. “The release of the Ofsted review of sexual abuse emphasized…

11Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Community approach can benefit survivors in Oldham

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

After the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) produced its latest report, local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani has called on the Council to put its recommendations – and lessons from around the country – into practice in Oldham. One example is the Quetzal Project in Leicester, which provides free counselling for women recovering from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. They have been running an outreach project to allow women in isolated communities to access counselling, particularly from South Asian backgrounds. Sam said: “What the Quetzal Project has done really well is reach out to people and communities, not wait for people to come to them. They found the right people in the community, that survivors would trust, and gave them the help they needed to ensure that…

11Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes promise of Council debate on CSE review

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

The Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the commitment made by the Leader of Oldham Council to make ‘proper time (available) for consideration by councillors’ of the long-awaited report by the review team into historic child sexual exploitation issues at a meeting of the Full Council. Last month, Councillor Sykes wrote to the new Leader, Councillor Arooj Shah, to request that Councillors be able ‘to discuss this matter in Full Council at the earliest opportunity’. As the Greater Manchester Deputy Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner, Baroness Beverley Hughes, had previously said the report would be available by the middle of this year, councillor Sykes was hopeful that this would be at the July 14 Council meeting. In her reply, Councillor Shah could not confirm that…

10Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Sykes appeals to Lord Chancellor over lenient magistrate court sentence

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Councillor Howard Sykes, MBE, Leader of the Real Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, has written to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Buckland MP, seeking a change in the law after receiving a frustrating letter denying him a review of an unduly lenient sentence. On 15 March, councillor Sykes wrote to the Attorney General’s Office asking for a review of a case in which Shaw resident, Javid Miah, 23, had sexually assaulted a woman in a frightening attack in Oldham town centre, but Miah had inexplicably not received an immediate custodial sentence for his crime. Councillor Sykes said: “This case caused many of my constituents’ real disquiet. This offender lives in my hometown and yet he was set free to continue to…

19Apr 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives vote to remove strip domestic violence register from landmark Bill

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

The Conservative Government has chosen to vote down legislation establishing a register of serial and serious perpetrators of domestic abuse and stalking. The register, which was backed by a motion to Oldham Council by Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Chris Gloster, would have meant active support for women at threat of violence from serial abusers. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “It is shameful that this amendment – and others aimed at protecting the safety of anyone who is the subject of domestic abuse – have been removed from the Bill. They received overwhelming support across the political spectrum when they were proposed in the House of Lords. “The Domestic Abuse Bill will make a huge difference to many people’s lives, but there are opportunities to save people from violence…

29Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats welcome Lords amendment on national stalking register

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence, Parliamentary news

Oldham’s Liberal Democrats have welcomed recent news that the Domestic Abuse Bill passing through Parliament will now contain a commitment to establish a national offenders’ register for those convicted of stalking or domestic violence after the House of Lords amended the legislation. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Councillor Chris Gloster, a former police officer with 30 years’ experience, proposed the establishment of just such a register when he brought a motion to last December’s meeting of Oldham Council with the support of the Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service. Councillor Chris Gloster is elated: “In light of the recent tragic murder of Sarah Everard, this development brings some hope that in the future serial offenders who are violent towards or stalk their victims will be tracked to prevent their reoffending and save…

17Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Sykes seeks review of suspended sentence handed out to Shaw sexual offender

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Shaw Ward and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has written to the Attorney General, The Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP, seeking an urgent review of the suspended prison sentence handed down by Tameside Magistrates Court last week to Javed Miah from Shaw. Miah was convicted of a serious predatory sexual offence after he attacked a lone female in Oldham Town Centre. The victim was able to raise the alarm via an SOS function on her mobile phone causing the offender to run away. In his letter to the Attorney General, Councillor Sykes said: “Following the recent tragic death of Sarah Everard, the continued safety of women on our streets from predatory males will, I am sure, be especially at…

02Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Pressure tells as Government agrees changes to Domestic Abuse Bill on intimate image threats

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence, Parliamentary news

After tens of thousands of supporters contacted the Government in support of a change to the Domestic Abuse Bill, to outlaw threats to share intimate images, the Conservatives have agreed that it should form part of the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, who was one of many to write to the Home Office calling for the legislation, was delighted to hear of the change. He said: “We need to change the UK’s culture around domestic abuse. This is another step in breaking down the taboos and attitudes which have let this situation fester for so long.” The lockdown has focused attention on domestic abuse, with rates dramatically increasing, but even before the start of lockdown, it was already endemic. According to Government figures, in the…

Category: domestic abuse and violence