Operation Athena Targets Domestic Abuse


Ealing Police mark International Day Against Homophobia

Ealing Police carried out raids across Ealing borough this week to tackle domestic, homophobic and race hate crime.

Operation Athena marked the International Day Against Homophobia and was designed to put the focus on the offender, and bring them to justice.

Sixteen officers made 12 arrests for a whole host of crimes including: Threats to kill, Common assault and Harassment.

Domestic, homophobic and race hate crime is an offence that cuts through all socio-economic groups, ages and backgrounds. The suspects arrested in the recent operation showed that offenders came all walks of life - a bus driver, someone in middle management and an unemployed.

Ealing Borough's Community Safety Unit, in partnership with the CPS, has a positive charge policy on offenders of domestic violence and actively encourages victims to report incidents, which will help, alleviate repeat victimisation.

Over the last 12 Months domestic violence offences on Ealing Borough have been reduced by 9.4%, race crime has been reduced by 6.5% and Homophobic crime by 7.7%, which equates to over 245 fewer victims.

Detective Sergeant Dave Coward, Community Safety Unit, Ealing Borough Police said:

“It is imperative that offenders realise that what they are doing is wrong, is criminal and that Ealing Borough Police will act to prevent it.

"We are now able to take action against offenders even without the support of the victim. Abusers need to realise that the Metropolitan Police are making it harder for them to hide their crimes behind the closed doors of the home.

"We want to encourage victims to come forward and have confidence that the police will deal with all cases sensitively and for abusers to know will take positive action."

Ealing Borough Police Community Safety Unit can be contacted on Tel: 0208-246-9617. Always Dial 999 in an emergency.

Definition of Domestic Violence

“Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or who have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender.” (Family members are defined as mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister and grandparents, whether directly related, in-laws or stepfamily).

May 29, 2008

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Ealing Borough Police Community Safety Unit can be contacted on Tel:0208-246-9617

National Domestic Violence Helpline
Freephone 24 Hour - 0808 2000 247 (Run partnership between Refuge and Women's Aid Federation of England.)

Women’s Aid 0800 200 0247

ManKind 0148-039-6500 (11am – 11pm) (Helps Male victims of Domestic Violence)

Kirans Asian Women’s Aid 020-8558-1986 - (Provides safe temporary accommodation for Asian women and their children)

Broken Rainbow 020-8539-9507 - (For lesbians and gay men who are experiencing domestic violence)

Childline 0800 1111