Last week Wokingham Borough Council staff and partners attended the launch of the Berkshire Domestic Abuse and Suicide Prevention Toolkit. Over 260 people took part, including front line practitioners across health, social care, education, policing, housing and the voluntary sector.
Awareness is growing of the complex and often hidden links between experiences of domestic abuse and the risk of suicide or self-harm. This toolkit has been developed to equip practitioners with the knowledge, confidence and practical tools needed to help support people who may be at risk. Crucially, it recognises that suicide is never an inevitable outcome of domestic abuse.
Across Wokingham Borough, we work closely with organisations across different sectors to share best practice and strengthen our response to domestic abuse. Our priorities are to:
– Raise awareness and promote early prevention
– Support victim-survivors and children
– Hold perpetrators to account
– Provide support in safe accommodation
The recent launch event is one example of how we are ensuring that everyone supporting victim-survivors has access to up-to-date guidance and resources, helping services deliver a trauma-informed approach.
We have also provided training for councillors so they understand the scale of the issue locally and can recognise and respond appropriately to disclosures or concerns raised by residents.
Through our White Ribbon action plan, we have established a network of ambassadors and champions who are helping ensure that staff and councillors understand the impact of violence against women and girls. Creating an environment where women feel safe, and where clear reporting mechanisms are in place, has been a key priority.
In December 2025, the Government published its long-awaited strategy to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade. Prevention is central to the strategy and has been welcomed by organisations working in this field, particularly for its focus on challenging the attitudes and behaviours that underpin violence against women and girls. Delivering on these ambitions will require sustained collaboration between public services, including policing, education and housing, alongside strong partnerships with community organisations.
Local government has an important role to play in bringing together the organisations that work every day to keep our communities safe. In Wokingham Borough, the Liberal Democrat administration has worked to strengthen partnerships across multiple sectors and build a more joined-up approach to community safety. Through our Domestic Abuse Partnership Network, we will continue working with partners to deliver meaningful and lasting change for victims and survivors in our community.
For anyone affected by these issues, help is available. Information about local support services can be found on the Wokingham Borough Council website: Short link: https://tinyurl.com/2pz3yten
By Cllr Lou Timlin
