New national framework to tackle violence against women and girls is welcomed by Northamptonshire Police

Northamptonshire Police has welcomed the publication today (Wednesday, 15 December) of a new national policing framework for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

The framework aims to deliver a fundamental shift in the prioritisation of violence against women and girls. It is designed to ensure a solid foundation of consistent good practice in the policing response wherever VAWG is committed, whatever the circumstances of the victim or perpetrator and whatever the crime.

Northamptonshire Police has welcomed the shift and is pleased that VAWG has become a higher priority for policing.

The Force is determined to do everything it can to reduce violence against women and girls, and to increase the trust and confidence of communities across Northamptonshire.

Assistant Chief Constable, Pauline Sturman said: “We very much welcome the publication of this new framework. It’s important our communities know how seriously we take the issue of violence against women and girls.

“It’s absolutely right there should be a renewed and increased focus on this. Women and girls shouldn’t feel under threat when going about their lives. It’s violent men who need to feel under threat, knowing that we will come after them.

“We are determined to use all of our powers, responsibilities and opportunities to prevent crime, protect victims, and robustly investigate offences and pursue the perpetrators.”

The data on the nature and prevalence of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in England and Wales is stark and shocking.

• In the UK, a woman was killed by a man every three days on average between 2009 and 2019. Millions of crimes of violence, abuse and harassment against women and girls are recorded each year.
• 15% of police-recorded crime is related to domestic abuse, with 1.6 million estimated female victims in the year ending March 2020. Many more offences are suffered in silence.

Detective Chief Inspector Nickie Deeks, the Northamptonshire Police lead for VAWG said: “We know how important this is. The harm caused by VAWG – in all its forms – to all victims, their families and society is immeasurable.

“I‘m pleased to say the Force hasn’t sat back waiting for the VAWG framework to be published. We have been busy, developing plans and working with our partners. An enormous amount of work is underway.

“We will now spend time reviewing our own plans against this new formal framework, to make sure they are fully aligned. In due course, we will share our VAWG strategy with the public so they know exactly how we are tackling this.”

“We want to make real and lasting changes, so the women and girls in our county feel safer and are safer as a result of the work we do.”