(Bloomberg) -- There is a “striking prevalence” of domestic abuse among individuals referred to a government program that aims to prevent terrorist attacks, U.K. police said.
A new analysis of referrals to the counter-radicalization “Prevent” program in 2019 found that out of 3,045 people, just over a third, or 1,076, had a link to a domestic abuse incident -- either as an offender, victim, witness or a combination of all three.
National Co-ordinator for Prevent, Detective Chief Superintendent Vicky Washington said in a statement that the findings “indicated a clear over-representation of domestic abuse experiences in the lives of those who are referred to us for safeguarding and support.”
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Where a link to a domestic abuse-related incident was identified, an Islamist ideology was recorded in 28% of referrals, while extreme right-wing ideologies accounted for 18%. The U.K. is reviewing currently reviewing the Prevent program.
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The suspect in the deadly stabbing of Conservative MP David Amess last month had reportedly been referred to Prevent several years ago -- as had at least two others in the past few years who went on to commit violent or deadly acts.
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