Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has secured £321,228 funding from the Home Office to develop a targeted offender programme for perpetrators of domestic abuse, especially stalking, teen on teen and teen on parent.

The domestic abuse perpetrator programme will assist in providing alternative outcomes for offenders and improve victim support & satisfaction.

Included within the programme is the opportunity to enhance and expand the Multi Agency Tasking and Co-ordination (MATAC) process.  It will also implement specific interventions to address children and young people who commit domestic abuse and it will provide a specific intervention to address the behaviour of perpetrators of stalking.

Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “During the time of lockdown and restriction we were rightly very concerned about the victims of domestic abuse. I was able to offer substantial additional funding for those in the voluntary sector who give help and assistance to victims.

“I also gave help to those who assist victims of sexual abuse, whether their abusers were known to them or strangers.

“But we realise that the problem that needs addressing is male behaviour. We have to support those who realise they have an issue before that becomes a matter of criminal behaviour. This project does that.

“It will also address the issue of children’s behaviour. We need to intervene early to stop children thinking that forms of inappropriate behaviour that they may be showing are the norm.”