Violence Against Women and Girls

Overview

Violence Against Women and Girls is a serious problem in today’s society which we cannot tolerate. The impact can be devastating, long lasting and in some instances, fatal for women and children, impacting entire families and communities. The Chief Constable and the Commissioner have made a commitment to work in partnership to tackle violence against women and girls across the South Wales Police area. This commitment includes increasing victim confidence to report violence against them, to reduce repeat victimisation and to generate greater understanding of the need to take positive action when responding to this crime.

Violence against women includes a wide range of areas including domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, female genital mutilation, trafficking, and so called “honour” based violence. The stark reality is that women are more likely to be victims of domestic abuse than men, which contrasts with all other types of violent crime when men are more likely to be victims. During 2019/20 there were 35,687 reported incidents of domestic abuse in South Wales. Of these, 23,443 incidents had a female victim, and of these incidents, 13,063 were recorded as crimes.

With Partners and the Chief Constable, we have recently developed the Tackling Violence Against Women & Girls: a Joint Strategy 2019-2024

VAWG is highlighted as a priority in the South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner’s Annual Report. We focus on 4 main areas:

• Enhanced Collaboration
• Prevention & Early Intervention
• Safeguarding
• Perpetrators

Annual Report

We have seen success through funding Independent Domestic/Sexual Violence Advocates, that are now in post across South Wales, and the Ministry of Justice announced an additional £12 million to fund these services from April 1^st 2021 to 31^st March 2023. Our funding also works with many organisations to support victims and survivors of Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV).

COVID Update

• A review of Covid-19 impact on Services (South Wales) has been produced this has informed the needs assessment for the Ministry of Justice and identified areas where further work is required should another pandemic occur.  This is a live document and is currently being updated in order to ascertain the latest developments.

Local Victims Support Services Funding - £1,447,965

Funding allocated for 2021/2022:

Child Sexual Abuse Funding (Ring Fenced) - £107,870

Independent Sexual Violence Advocate Funding - £91,928

Domestic Abuse Support Uplift – £318,847

Sexual Violence Support Services - £109, 827

EOI Victims Funding – IDVA £290,923, ISVA £40,089.

Home Office Perpetrator Fund - £200,000

What are we working on?

• Work has been continuing with South Wales Victim Focus, South Wales Police, and specialist services to review the process of the victim’s referral journey and establish any gaps in order to create a more streamlined victim’s referral pathway
• Drive (our programme working with perpetrators) has been rolled out across all seven Local Authorities in South Wales and is fully operational and integrated into existing services. The South Wales Drive Governance Group membership has been extended to include the four new Local Authority areas.
• On 1st of February 2021 Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced additional one-year funding to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse (DA) and sexual violence (SV). The funding is an uplift to the core victims grant and is available from 1 April 2021 to 31st of March 2022, South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Team were allocated £318, 847 for Domestic Abuse and £109,827 for Sexual Violence.
• We are currently leading work surrounding Remote Evidence Sites which provide victims and survivors accommodation for providing evidence during trial which is funded by the Welsh Government.
• We are currently working in collaboration with Gwent PCC, Tarian and the National Modern Slavery MARAC Coordinator to submit a funding application to the National Anti-Trafficking and Modern Slavery Network. The funding will be used to produce a series of awareness raising events with the Muslim communities in Cardiff and Newport. Awareness raising will be specific to the identification of the signs and risks relating to Domestic Servitude.

Telephone: 0808 80 10 800 Live Chat Service: gov.wales/live-fear-free Text: 07860 077 333 Email: info@livefearfreehelpline.wales

Information and advice for those worried about perpetrating and abuse can be accessed via the Respect website: Telephone: 0808 8024040 Website: http://respect.uk.net/information-support/domestic-violence-perpetrators/

Local services are also still available across the South Wales area.

	01446 744 755 (24 hours)
	01685 379 310
	02920 541 551
	01685 353 999
	Bridgend - 01656 766 139  Neath - 01639 633 580
	02920 460 566
	01443 400 791
	01639 894 864
	01792 644 683
	0800 731 8147
	0300 30 30 161
	02920 496 920
	Support service for male victims of domestic violence and abuse  0808 801 0321

Our team

Paula Hardy – Strategic Lead

Michelle Cooper – Policy Officer

Hannah Evans-Price – Policy Officer

Rosie Stride – Administrative Assistant

With Partners and the Chief Constable, we have developed the Tackling Violence Against Women & Girls: a Joint Strategy 2019-2024