Hello,

Yesterday (Tuesday 23 July) the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) published their National Policing Statement on violence against women and girls (VAWG); highlighting that nationally, over 1 million VAWG related crimes were recorded during 2022/23, accounting for 20 per cent of all police recorded crime. 

Violence against women and girls is a national emergency that is increasing in scale and severity. Unfortunately, the numbers are stark and show that this is an epidemic, deeply rooted in society. A national shift in approach is vital to turning the tide on the abuse faced by women and girls every day – and we each have a role to play in this across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. 

We should be in a position to challenge these behaviours if we see them occurring in our local communities. 

As a force, we think that getting our response right in tackling violence against women and girls starts with each of us. VAWG is a priority for policing nationally and it remains a priority for us as we continue to work to pursue perpetrators and protect victims.

Reacting to the NPCC’s report, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s strategic lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, Chief Superintendent Clare Jenkins, said: “The National Policing Statement from the NPCC indicates exactly why VAWG is a priority for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary – and we are fully committed to pursuing those perpetrating these heinous, and hugely impactful offences, while also playing a role in protecting victims. 

“It comes off the back that nationally, VAWG related offences account for 20 per cent of all police recorded crime and that 1 in 12 women are likely to be a victim of VAWG each year – albeit it is likely that number is much higher due to a lack of reporting. The report also suggests that there are more complex types of offending occurring, such as child-on-child sexual offending, online abuse and dangerous content for younger people, which causes significant harm to victims and society as a whole. 

“We – as a force - have a pivotal role to play in reducing offending across Hampshire and Isle of Wight. We must prepare and ensure that we have the right culture, skills and resources at our disposal to tackle the epidemic that is VAWG. We will ensure that appropriate action is taken immediately to protect individuals, families and local communities whilst ensuring that perpetrators of violence are being relentlessly pursued. 

“We have made – and continue to make - great strides locally to improve our response to these crimes and to protect more victims and bring more people to justice, but there is much more to do. As part of our ongoing efforts to tackle VAWG, we have reviewed and published our own VAWG action plan for 2024-27 – reaffirming our commitment to tackling this behaviour both in our communities and in our force.

“Lastly, and perhaps most pertinent, we must do all that we can within our powers to prevent these offences taking hold in our local communities and within the homes of victims in the first instance. We can only be successful in this through a whole-system approach such as that called for by the NPCC; bringing together criminal justice partners, government bodies and industry in order to reduce the scale and impact of VAWG.”

Please see a link to Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s VAWG Action Plan 2024-27 for more detail on how we are tackling the complexities that surround VAWG. 

As always, if you have been a victim of crime or have witnessed an incident, please report it to us via 101 or by making a report online via the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website. If it is an emergency, or there is an immediate threat to life, dial 999 immediately.