GOVERNMENT has given £400,000 to support women who have experienced domestic violence.

More women from Braintree, Colchester, Maldon or Tendring will be able to get specialist help, under a pioneering partnership.

Four local councils, Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge and charities Open Road and Changing Pathways will work together to increase the number of available spaces at the refuge.

They will also provide accommodation for women and their children looking to live independently after suffering domestic violence, and provide support and accommodation to women with mental health issues.

The money will also be used to raise awareness of its services among the Black and Minority Ethnic communities, and integrate specialist support services for the first time for those with an addiction to alcohol or drugs.

The funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government follows a successful bid by Colchester Council and will support the project through to March 2020.

Colchester and Tending have the highest numbers of victims of domestic violence in Essex, after Basildon. In the first three months of 2017, there were 909 reports to the police of domestic violence a month across all four local authority areas – while in the same period in 2018 there were 1,076 reported incidents a month.

Beverley Jones, Chief executive of Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge, said: “We are delighted we have been awarded these vital funds to expand our life-saving services and continue our successful partnership.

“We are also excited the additional funding will enable us to focus on providing new services for women with complex and multiple needs, who, for too-long have been denied the vital support they need by virtue of their complex-needs.

“Working with Open Road, the award will allow us to fund specialist drug and alcohol services, targeting support for women historically hidden from services and from hard to reach communities.We know these services will make a lasting change to the lives of women and children.”

The government funding will help cover the costs of eight full-time posts and develop an extra 26 bed spaces, with the aim of supporting around 750 extra people.

Tina Bourne, councillor responsible for housing, said: “It takes a great deal of courage to leave someone who controls and intimidates you. Women often attempt to leave several times before making the final break. We want to ensure no woman is unable to get the support they need to break free and rebuild their lives.”