CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Aurora New Dawn submission to the United Nations CEDAW evaluation of the UK

In 2013, we submitted a report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to provide evidence supporting the Committee’s evaluation of gender discrimination in the UK.

Our report aimed to offer a particular insight into the delivery of (or lack of) the UK’s CEDAW obligations from the grassroots perspective of a small, voluntary sector organisation working in the VAWG sector, particularly:

• providing commentary based on the experiences of victims and survivors working with Aurora New Dawn’s Independent Domestic/Sexual Violence Advocates (IDVAs and ISVAs)
• highlighting the firsthand impact of Government policy on the voluntary VAWG sector

Download: ‘Officially Invisible’: the experience of women victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence in relation to gender equality in the UK

Draft policy on sexual entertainment venues, Portsmouth

In March 2012, Portsmouth City Council launched a consultation on a new draft sex establishment policy to regulate sexual entertainment venues in Portsmouth. The draft policy outlined a preliminary conclusion that there is no place in Portsmouth in which it would be appropriate to license a sex establishment – also known as a ‘nil cap’.

Aurora New Dawn submitted a response to the consultation in support of a nil cap policy on SEVs in Portsmouth. We based our response on national guidelines from OBJECT and in our submission, we highlight our reasons for supporting a nil cap.

Consultation on Draft SEV Policy, Portsmouth

Portsmouth Domestic Abuse Commissioning Review

In the summer of 2011, Portsmouth undertook a review of the services offered to victims and survivors of domestic abuse. This review is a direct result of the cuts to the public sector, which are forcing the local authority to re-evaluate and reduce the level of service provision offered directly by and commissioned by the local authority.

Aurora highlighted a number of concerns about the plans set out in the Commissioning Review, particularly the expansion of service provision and referrals to universal services and the implications this will have for survivors; the shift towards service provision based on the concept of risk rather than need; and the decision not to commission specialist domestic abuse services for children.

Unfortunately, the Commissioning Review has not yet been made available to the public, but you can read the implementation plan here, and our response to the review below.

Aurora ND Response to Portsmouth Commissioning Review 2012

Preventing Suicide in England – Aurora ND response

Aurora welcomes the recent cross-government outcomes strategy to prevent suicide, and the clear understanding of the factors that may exacerbate risk of suicide, including domestic and sexual abuse. Our response highlights the ways in which Aurora’s services are in line with this new strategy, including the service we offer and our client-led strategic approach.

Preventing suicide in England AND response Sept 2012

 REPORTS & SPEECHES

AGM speeches