Victims of domestic abuse in Notts to receive enhanced 999 support

Domestic abuse specialists are to be embedded in Nottinghamshire Police's 999 control room to significantly enhance support to victims – thanks to a successful funding application by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Nottinghamshire.

The force is one of 12 across England and Wales to be selected for the second phase of a national roll out of Raneem’s Law, which was established in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, who were murdered by Raneem’s ex-husband in August 2018 after multiple 999 calls went unanswered.

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Angela Kandola, who leads on the prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls for the OPCC, said the funding of almost £200,000 would help reduce harm and could even save lives locally.

"This is fantastic news and significantly enhances the service that Nottinghamshire Police can offer to victims of domestic abuse," she said.

"It will mean domestic abuse specialists from local services will be embedded in Nottinghamshire Police's control room, overseeing how incoming calls are assessed and managed, providing real-time advice to call handlers and responding officers, reviewing risk assessments, supporting staff training and ensuring victims are referred promptly to specialist services.

"This expert knowledge will mean the force can identify high-risk cases earlier and accelerate how quickly victims receive safeguarding measures to keep them safe. It could literally save lives."

The delivery of the service will be by local providers Nottinghamshire Women's Aid, Juno Women's Aid and Equation Nottingham.

It is hoped they can start in July and the pilot scheme will run until 31 March 2027 initially, and if successful, it is hoped it will become a permanent offer in the control room.

Detective Superintendent Lee Townley, the force’s strategic lead for domestic abuse, said: "When a victim reports domestic abuse, they must have confidence that they will be protected from harm, which is why it’s so important that we get our response right from the moment we are called.

"We are therefore delighted to be part of this national programme. Placing domestic abuse specialists directly within our control room will give our call handlers and officers immediate access to expert support, helping us to assess risk more accurately and safeguard victims more quickly.

"By working closely with the specialists, we will undoubtedly protect more victims and survivors, improve our response and ensure specialist support is available exactly when it is needed most."

Christie Conroy, Head of Services at Nottinghamshire Women's Aid, said she was delighted the charity would be working in partnership with the OPCC, Nottinghamshire Police, and alongside partners Juno and Equation on this new initiative.

"Domestic Abuse can have a devastating impact on individuals and families and no single organisation can address these challenges alone," she said.

"This partnership reflects our shared commitment and by working collaboratively we can ensure survivors are at the centre of all our responses, they feel heard and they have improved access to wider support services.

"Together we can create a positive change, improve safety and make a meaningful difference to survivors and their families across our communities."

The expansion in Nottinghamshire was announced today, six months after the launch of the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, and will also be rolled out in Derbyshire, Thames Valley, West Yorkshire, Hampshire, Essex, Merseyside, Cambridgeshire, North Wales, Gloucestershire, Cleveland and Dyfed-Powys.

They join West Midlands, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Humberside and Northumbria, where the scheme has been running since its launch a year ago.

The Government has committed to rolling out Raneem’s Law to every force in England and Wales by 2029. The scheme forms part of a broader package of measures targeting violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse protection orders and over £1 billion in funding over the next three years for safe accommodation, counselling and specialist therapeutic support.

An estimated 3.8 million people experienced domestic abuse in England and Wales last year.