Yesterday (Monday), RGP Response Team officers were briefed by Rachel Williams of the Stand Up to Domestic Abuse charity. 

After 18 years in an abusive relationship, Rachel was shot and severely injured by her violent partner in 2011. He then committed suicide, as did her 16 year old son Jack, shortly after the attack. Rachel then spent several weeks in hospital and now lives with life altering injuries.  She now delivers training to UK police forces, to the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service and even to UK Government Ministers.

At New Mole House, officers watched a reconstruction of her case which was made for Judge Rinder’s ITV Crime Stories.

When talking with the officers, Rachel focussed on the lessons that needed to be learned by police forces when dealing with the victims of Domestic Abuse.

Police Sergeant Mary De Santos, the RGP lead for Domestic Abuse said,

‘Rachel’s talk highlighted to officers the need to understand the impact their interaction has on a victim and the importance of empathy when taking the victims account. It also explored the thought processes of a victim when they decide to report the abuse – or not.’

RGP officers will take part in further Domestic Abuse training later this month, in line with the Ministry of Equality’s Domestic Abuse Strategy.