Police chiefs warn violence against women and girls is now a ‘national emergency’

Police chiefs have outlined the scale of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in England and Wales in a national policing statement bringing together data and analysis.

Policing has undergone significant changes to the way it tackles violence against women and girls in recent years. Progress has been made to drive standards and consistency across all police forces.

However, due to the epidemic scale of offending, police leaders are calling for a whole-system approach that brings together criminal justice partners, government bodies and industry, in a new partnership that seeks to reduce the scale and impact of VAWG.

“We are absolutely determined to turn the tide on violence and abuse faced by women and girls and will continue to work tirelessly to do better for victims.

“Our focus will always be to bring the men behind these pervasive crimes to justice. By enhancing the way we use data and intelligence, we will improve our ability to identify, intercept and arrest those causing the most harm in communities. 

“We know that continuous improvement is needed to strengthen policing’s response to VAWG. Improvements must be driven nationally, ensuring consistency from force to force to give victims the service they expect and deserve.” 

Maggie Blyth, Deputy Chief Constable, Deputy CEO of the College of Policing and NPCC lead for violence against women and girls.

The National Policing Statement for VAWG, commissioned by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing, found:

• Over one million VAWG related crimes were recorded during 2022/23, accounting for 20% of all police recorded crime.
• Police recorded VAWG related crime increased by 37% between 2018/23.
• At least 1 in every 12 women will be a victim per year, with the exact number expected to be much higher.
• Child sexual abuse and exploitation increased by more than 400% between 2013 and 2022.

Not only is VAWG growing, but there are also increasingly complex types of offending that cause significant harm to victims and society as a whole. One in every six murders in 22/23 was related to domestic abuse, with suspected victim suicides following domestic abuse rising year-on-year.

“While the findings of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College into the scale of violence against women and girls in this country are alarming, it is important to remember that many survivors will not report their experiences to the police, therefore we know the issue will be much larger than the data shows.

“Women’s Aid agree that violence against women and girls is a national threat, and echoes calls for a whole-system approach to tackling the problem and centres the most marginalised. Without meaningful collaboration and action, women and children will continue to be failed when it comes to be protected and when seeking justice for the abuse they have endured.”

Sophie Francis-Cansfield, Head of External Affairs at Women’s Aid.

Police progress

The way police officers investigate rape and serious sexual offences is being transformed, and over the past year, more than 4,500 new officers have been trained in investigating this complex crime. Collaboration with prosecutors has intensified, ensuring all investigations focus on the actions of the alleged perpetrator, not the victim.

Early data shows a 25% increase in the number of arrests (2022/23 compared with 2019/20), and a 38% increase in charges for rape (year to December 2023 compared with the same period).  

Domestic abuse (DA) remains one of biggest demands on policing, with arrests for domestic abuse related offences increasing by over 22% in the year ending March 2023, compared to the previous period. While this is a positive shift, it is only the start and there is still more to do.

Policing has ensured violence against women and girls is now officially classed as a national threat by government and a refreshed national framework has brought the police response to VAWG in line with counter-terrorism. This includes the adoption of a tried and tested methodology used in counter-terrorism policing – the ‘4P’ approach, which underpins every police force’s plan to tackle VAWG:

• Prepare: forces must have the right culture, skills and resources   
• Protect: action is being taken to protect individuals, families and communities 
• Pursue: perpetrators of violence are being relentlessly pursued  
• Prevent: policing must work with partners as part of a whole-system approach 

Whole-system approach 

Violence against women and girls is at such a scale that it cannot be addressed through law enforcement alone. 1 in 20 people are estimated to be perpetrators of VAWG per year, with the actual number thought to be significantly higher.

Evidence shows many of these perpetrators will have touch points with a number of agencies outside of policing through their life, presenting opportunities for intervention.

This includes health, education, local authority, voluntary sector and industry all working in tandem with the criminal justice system, sharing data and responsibilities to effect change across the board.

Policing next steps

The pursuit of perpetrators who cause significant harm and often offend repeatedly is a key focus, through a newly invigorated approach to offender management. This approach will maximise the use of technology and intelligence across law enforcement.

The creation of a dedicated policing hub, the National Centre for Public Protection in the College of Policing, will support forces with specialist knowledge and training for investigators and officers, and lead a national approach to preventative work with other agencies. Ultimately, this will deliver a better service to victims through quality investigations and victim care.

“A centralised hub within policing that brings together specialised skill sets and capabilities would support police forces in improving their response to VAWG. However, this will only achieve progress as part of a wider, effective criminal justice system, which at present is overwhelmed and under-performing for victims. 

“Violence against women and girls is a national emergency. We need the support and direction of government to intervene and address the current problems within the criminal justice system and lead the way on a whole-system approach to VAWG. 

“We aspire to a position where an effective criminal justice response to VAWG is the last resort. We need to move forward as a society to make change and no longer accept VAWG as inevitable.”  

Maggie Blyth, Deputy Chief Constable, Deputy CEO of the College of Policing and NPCC lead for violence against women and girls.

Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, highlighted new approaches being rolled out across the country that offer hope for what is possible. In London, early results from the Met’s data-led targeting of the 100 most harmful offenders suggest that more dangerous men are being brought to justice and put behind bars. The use of live facial recognition is also proving effective at identifying and scrutinising the actions of sex offenders in the community who might otherwise have hidden their offending in plain sight.

You can read more about this in our recent article from Helen Millichap, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Local Policing, as she discusses the Metropolitan Police’s action plan to combat violence against women and girls.

Rowley emphasised that despite the progress, there is no room for complacency. He identified one of the P’s – preparing – as the crucial factor that stands between continued success and the unacceptable alternative.

According to Rowley, this involves specially trained investigators, better technology to detect and investigate offences, and victim support embedded in every case. He also stressed the need for a centralised policing hub to consolidate these capabilities and drive improvements at a national level.

“It is imperative that we recognise the insidious nature of Violence Against Women and Girls – and that policing cannot solve the problem alone. It is a society-wide issue and only through the adoption of a public health approach, with government-coordinated action undertaken by a host of agencies and institutions, will we achieve the wholesale change that is required.

“We support the NPCC’s call for a coherent and robust approach that brings together criminal justice partners, the voluntary, community and private sectors, as well as the wider public, to reduce the scale and devastating harm that women experience – too often, repeatedly.

Sophie Linden and Lisa Townsend, APCC joint leads for Victims.

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