Domestic violence in Neath Port Talbot (NPT) was “more severe” during the pandemic and there was a spike in demand for victim support.

Officers from NPT Council’s violence against women domestic abuse and sexual violence service revealed an increase in high-risk incidents with the type of violence being worse than usual. 

A report by council officers shows a “spike” in domestic abuse cases was anticipated at the beginning of the pandemic, both locally and nationally. However, the increased demand for support has “remained consistent across all services”. 

Since the first lockdown in March 2020, the council saw a 40% increase in demand for support services, including independent domestic violence advisors, who support victims at risk of harm or homicide. 

The report reads: “The nature of the violence being experienced was more severe and escalating far more quickly than what is ‘typically’ seen.

“New referrals were received from those not known to services before, and were immediately being considered high risk.”

The council received 437 high-risk referrals to the service between April 2020 and March 2021.

Of these referrals, there were 401 female victims – including 17 pregnant women – and 36 male victims. South Wales Police directly referred 408 of these cases following reported incidents.

The independent advisors had to work at home and were experiencing “exceptionally high” engagement rates at 67%. 

The council is currently trying to find out why some victims were accessing the service less frequently during the pandemic.

The report states “some victims… felt better able to engage” during lockdown but “some of our repeat victims with complex needs did not access services as routinely”.

Refuge, a UK charity which supports women and chidren experiencing domestic violence, experienced an average of 13,162 contacts to its national helpline from April 2020 to February 2021.

The figure marked a 60% increase on the average number of monthly calls and messages at the start of 2020.

On top of increased demand for support services, the NPT Council has faced other pressures during the pandemic. For example, extra deep cleaning and PPE was needed, housing services were put on hold and cases were not being heard in court.

The Welsh Government gave the council’s violence against women domestic abuse and sexual violence service £130,000 to help with increased pressures caused by the pandemic. 

The funds were put towards promoting local services, training specialists to work with perpetrators of abuse, employing two extra independent domestic violence advisors and supporting local refuges with PPE and cleaning supplies.

NPT Council has also used its housing support grant to buy “target hardening equipment” for victims, which can include window locks, panic alarms and security lights.