Population Needs Assessment

The Mid and West Wales Strategy recognises the vital importance of collaborating with and listening to survivors who are ‘experts by experience’ in terms of what has worked for them, their pathways through services and how easy (or difficult) it has been to find the right service to support them to and move towards independence and recovery.

26 survivors were consulted with in the development of the 2023 strategy and their voices and experiences have and will continue to be integral to its development, delivery and monitoring.

The MWW regional partnership has established the Regional Survivor Panel, made up of individuals with lived experience from across the region and across the field of VAWDASV. The panel are fundamental in informing the regional plan and wider work, how we practice, inform policy and how we engage and educate communities and professionals across the region.

Public attitudes – raising awareness of all forms of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence

Survivors spoke about the need for greater awareness across society of all forms of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. They spoke about the importance of language and imagery to enable different groups in society to see themselves and their experiences and the need for information to be visible in communities, places where people go, as well though other means. Survivors spoke about the importance of information to enable individuals, their family and friends to recognise abuse and seek help and support.

“I didn’t know I was in an abusive situation”

“There wasn’t physical abuse so I didn’t recognise it as abuse”

78% of survivors who attended the consultation event noted this as a top three priority.

The value of the Specialist Sector

Survivors spoke about the importance of responsive, accessible, intersectional services able to meet their needs.

“Being able to knock on a door and get the service you need at the right time.”

Survivors also spoke about the need for there to be support services for all victims of violence and abuse

“There needs to be help for all”

Survivors reflected on their experiences of the benefits of accessing specialist support services:

Impartial and invaluable

Listen and understand

At your side

I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for the service

Felt safe and secure with them….they gave me an opportunity to start again

The service saved my life

They listened to me and helped me

They listen, respected and validated my experiences…..they reinforced that I was valued and worthwhile…older people don’t often feel this, we can become invisible

They’ve helped me to understand my rights and enabled me to make my own decisions

They listened to me, helped me understand and were there to talk to whenever I needed (young person)

Whilst survivors had been or were being supported by specialist services in the region, none of them were aware of the support that was available whilst they were in their abusive relationships and had only found their way to services through being referred by other services.

Dedicated, specialist services for Children and Young People

Survivors spoke about the impact on their children of experiencing abuse including anxiety, self-harm, impact on mental health and overall health and well-being.

90% of survivors who attended a consultation event chose support for children and young people as a priority for the strategy making this the most important priority for survivors.

“Our children should be confident and assertive….it is so important that they know what a healthy relationship is”

Survivors wanted specialist support services for children and young people who were victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women and spoke about the importance of education and prevention work in schools and colleges.

Since the start of April 2026, the region has lost £400,000 of funding for Children Affected by Domestic Abuse from the Home Office. Having significant impact on the service provision available for Children and young people.

Survivor groups and peer support available in every area, to reduce isolation and maximise independent spaces that increase confidence, esteem, and empowerment.

Survivors need an opportunity to come together to share experiences and support each other’s recovery

“Feel very alone, where do I go now, how do I mix with people”

Knowledge and Understanding of Practitioners

Some survivors spoke about positive experiences with practitioners who had identified their abuse and offered pathways to support

“I minimised and normalised what I was going through – it was the counsellor and the nurse who recognised the abuse and it was a relief to tell someone what was happening”

“It was normal what I was experiencing – I didn’t know any different – it was the paramedic and consultant who recognised the abuse”

“When the social worker spoke to me and highlighted how my partner had been controlling me it was a revelation – I didn’t recognise the control and abuse”.

Many survivors spoke about negative experiences with Police and Social Services which they believed was a result of a lack of knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviours.

“Felt that I was fighting the police all the time and I was the victim

It was soul destroying the way I was dealt with by Social Services – so demeaning”

Practitioners understanding of familial abuse – abuse wider than interpersonal abuse

At the consultation event over two thirds of survivors identified this as a priority for the strategy, the third highest priority chosen at the event.

Improved awareness of and response to domestic abuse, sexual violence and all forms of violence against women by professionals involved in the family justice system (CAFCASS Cymru, judges and court personnel, legal representatives)

“The system is broken”

“A battle worse than the abuse itself”

Survivors spoke negatively about their experience of the family court system, child contact proceedings and the lack of understanding and consideration given to domestic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviours and stalking and harassment. Survivors spoke about their experience of perpetrators using the family court system to continue to abuse and control them.

A focus on working with those who perpetrate abuse – to educate and support to change behaviours

Almost half of the survivors attending the consultation event identified this as a priority.

They spoke about those responsible for the abuse being held accountable and given opportunities to change their behaviours through support and intervention.

Safe Accommodation Options

Survivors spoke about the need for a range of safe accommodation options to meet needs of individuals and families and to address barriers currently facing some individuals e.g. older survivors, larger families, individuals with complex support needs, individuals who are working.

Priorities

Stakeholders and Survivors were asked to identify what their priorities were for the strategy. The top three priorities identified by both groups were as follows:

Survivors           

1. Promoting and Supporting Healthy Relationships for Children and Young People
2. Public attitudes – raising awareness of all forms of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence
3. Improving practitioner’s knowledge and understanding of all forms of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence

Stakeholders

1. Promoting and Supporting Healthy Relationships for Children and Young People
2. Public attitudes – raising awareness of all forms of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence
3. Commissioning of specialist services to meet the needs of survivors

Stakeholders and Survivors spoke about the importance of addressing intersectionality in the strategy, not only through developing our understanding of the needs of different population groups but also ensuring that, as a region, we equip our core services with the knowledge and resources to respond to individual and diverse needs. We have listened to participants who were consistent in their views that children and young people and older people required greater emphasis in this strategy.

Current care and support provision

The Region has been innovative and has invested in the development of services.

Appointment of the Regional VAWDASV Advisor has brought coordination to the regional approach and a focus on prevention and service development and along with the regional team has been invaluable in driving forward initiatives and making the most of funding opportunities available however, the challenge now is to sustain and develop these initiatives across the region:

• Stronger Partnerships resulting in pooled resources to invest in service development and the delivery of over 70 different interventions by specialist support services in the region

• Developing the regional approach to Perpetrator Interventions including the offer of the Choices Programme and the Digital Intervention Hub

• Agreement of a regional funding ratio which has contributed to the expansion of Perpetrator Interventions and will determine the funding of future regional projects

• Governance Review resulting in robust regional and local oversight of delivery of the strategy

• Introduction of an evaluated Stalking and Harassment Toolkit and Intervention

• Establishment and Evaluation of Multi Agency Daily Discussions to safeguard individuals and children experiencing domestic abuse

• Embedding Operation Soteria into Policing and Partner’s practice to improve outcomes for victims of sexual violence and abuse

• Establishment of a Survivor Advisory Panel to shape and inform delivery of priorities in the region

• Development and delivery of regional resources and campaigns to raise awareness including Older People, Child to Parent Abuse, Male Victims, Bystander Initiatives and Domestic Homicide Reviews

• Delivery of AR TRAC services for children and young people and the Inspiring Families Programme across the region

• Regional implementation of Operation Encompass

• Development of a digital training package and resource directory for Schools and Education providers

• An additional £2m funding secured for Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence services which has supported capital projects, increased capacity of services and supported victims with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)

• Establishment of 2 BAWSO specialist support workers in the region providing support to women from culturally diverse backgrounds

• A review of current commissioning landscape completed, resulting in a Regional Commissioning Strategy and Regional VAWDASV Service Specification

• Established an IRISi pilot in Primary Care in Carmarthenshire with a commitment from partners to roll out across the region

• Partnership between Dewis Choice, Bro Myrddin Housing Association Carmarthenshire County Council delivering safe space for older people experiencing domestic abuse as an alternative to refuge

• Brought a focus to Child to Parent Abuse with the development of a regional guidance document, training for practitioners and the introduction of the PRAM assessment

• Established a Community Ambassador programme with the Hair and Beauty Sector across Mid and West Wales

• Delivery of the Myriad Programme, an LGBTQ+ 8 week Recovery Programme, in two of the four counties in the region.

• Established Remote Evidence Facilities across the Region