GOVERNMENT funding of almost half a million pounds has been awarded to help prevent domestic abuse in North Yorkshire.

The county’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan has secured £445,892 from the Home Office to help officers spot early warning signs of abusive behaviour and stop it from happening in the first place.

It will fund individualised and targeted support for those at risk of offending and service providers will work more closely to give co-ordinated care to address offenders’ behaviour, alongside any other health or social needs that are needed to achieve that.

Ms Mulligan said: “All too often I hear from victims of domestic abuse and stalking that the warning signs were there before the abuse began.

“We need to make sure those warning signs are acted upon in the future - both by giving those at risk of abuse the confidence to come forward and report their fears, and by agencies and partners working together to share information and identify potential perpetrators.

“Better training, more coordination and appropriate individualised support will make a huge difference to the efforts to support potential abusers before they can abuse, and stop those currently abusing from creating more pain and suffering.

“It is only by doing this that we can protect those at risk of abuse and those being abused from having to suffer even more in the future.”

The funding will help provide extra services for young people displaying high risk abusive behaviour and their families.

It will also providing support to adult perpetrators and potential perpetrators who have complex needs.

A new team will be formed to examine stalking, bringing together experts to better understand the triggers and develop effective interventions.

The scheme will also develop specialist training packages around domestic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, stalking and other abusive patterns of behaviour

And training will be provided to frontline officers, enabling them to identify perpetrators at an earlier stage and intervene.

The Home Office funding will be invested by the end of March 2021 and the Commissioner has committed to match the funding to allow the services to be extended until March 2022.

The approach will be delivered by a range of agencies including the police, councils and the NHS.