I am seeking information about approaches made by victims of domestic abuse, with particular refence to male victims. Specifically I need, for the calendar year 2023 (1st January to 31st December inclusive):

1. Total number of approaches made to your authority (either through homelessness channels, specialist domestic abuse team or antisocial behaviour team) citing domestic abuse as the reason for need for support.
Please note – response provided relates to approaches to our homelessness team and commissioned domestic abuse service and do not include those who may have approached Children’s Services, Adult Services or other departments. Please also note that people may have approached both the homelessness team and specialist DA support service.

Commissioned domestic abuse service: 386
Wokingham Borough Council Homelessness :142 (this number is all approaches where domestic abuse was mentioned, rather than the number of applications which resulted in a homelessness application being taken for example if they decide to pursue with another Local Authority or withdraw their application).

2. How many of these approaches were made by males. As mentioned above, I am conducting research into male victims of domestic abuse.
Commissioned domestic abuse service: 32
Wokingham Borough Council Homelessness: 12 (as above not all approaches resulted in a homelessness application being taken)

3. A numerical breakdown of those approaches made by males by sexual orientation. My reasoning for this request is to establish what proportion of approaches are made by male victims from the LGBTQIA+ sector.
Commissioned domestic abuse service: 19 in total identified as LGBT+ but we don’t have the data available to breakdown male / female
Wokingham Borough Council Homelessness: of the 12 approaches 8 were heterosexual; 1 bisexual; 2 preferred not to say; 1 not recorded

4. A numerical breakdown of those approaches where it was subsequently determined that the male was in fact the perpetrator of domestic abuse.
Commissioned domestic abuse service – numbers not available
Wokingham Borough Council Homelessness: 2 counter allegations; 2 identified as already working with voluntary sector.

5. A numerical breakdown of those approaches where the male victim was assisted into either a) refuge or b) B&B or c) refused safe accommodation. My reasoning for this request is to understand whether accessibility of refuge is more common by geographical area.
The Wokingham refuge is for female victims only. Whilst the community based commissioned service supports male victims we don’t have the data to know about their safe accommodation journey. Where male victims need to access refuge accommodation they would be supported into other area provision as no male or LGBT+ specific refuges in the Thames Valley area.
Wokingham Borough Council Homelessness: out of the 12 males identified, 3 went into emergency / temporary accommodation.