Domestic abuse advice for Guernsey school pupils

Education workers will be raising awareness of domestic abuse in Guernsey by giving relationship advice to school pupils.

Official figures have shown that despite a drop in recorded incidents of domestic abuse, repeat incidents, where the victim has reported abuse more than once, have increased.

The Health and Social Services Department said it was a priority.

Pupils are expected to start learning about domestic abuse in January 2013.

The figures, from the States Strategic Monitoring Report, show that incidents of domestic abuse have dropped from 723 in 2007 to 701 in 2011.

However, repeat incidents have increased from 290 in 2007 to 299 in 2011.

The Hampton Trust, which offers support to vulnerable people, will be sending education workers into Guernsey's schools.

Deputy Chief Executive Chantal Hughes said: "We know prevention has got to start with education.

"We need children to understand what the differences between a healthy and an abusive relationship are."

The education workers will talk to pupils in secondary schools about domestic abuse.

Ms Hughes said the education would be "age appropriate" and would continue throughout their time at secondary school.