Greater Manchester Police domestic violence scheme 'dangerous'

Zoe Dronfield survived a serious domestic assault and now campaigns on the issue

A domestic abuse survivor has criticised a police force after it introduced a pilot scheme encouraging victims to meet their abusers.

Greater Manchester Police said it hoped the programme would allow "positive communication".

But Zoe Dronfield, who was stabbed and stamped on in an attack by her ex-boyfriend, said she felt it was "dangerous".

GMP said it hoped the scheme would give victims the chance to "gain closure".

The force also said both the victim and the offender had to give consent in the restorative justice programme.

Ms Dronfield's attacker Jason Smith was sentenced to 10 years in jail in 2015.

The campaigner said she could have died in the attack after being stabbed in the neck and left with a broken nose and eye socket.

In court Ms Dronfield, of Coventry, West Midlands gave evidence from behind a screen.

'Master manipulators'

She said: "I have not set eyes on him since the night of the attack and I don't want to again.

"I don't want old fake feelings of a relationship that wasn't real to be resurrected. It is dangerous."

She said domestic violence abusers were "master manipulators" who might use the scheme to "potentially start up the abuse again."

Det Supt Gwyn Dodd insisted officers would be "very careful" to avoid "making things worse".

He said: "It is not for everyone and not for every victim. [But] I believe that there is a small number of victims out there where this will help."

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, there are a list of organisations that may be able to help at BBC Action Line.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]