In a determined effort to address the pressing issue of violence against women and girls, Wiltshire Police turned to the community for guidance seeking to understand the experiences women encountered when reporting a crime with a view to shaping their response accordingly.
The response was overwhelming, with close to 1,200 individuals providing their honest feedback and making it clear that change was needed. Wiltshire Police’s response? A simple pledge: ‘We are listening’.
The survey results were illuminating, revealing that 35% of women and girls who had experienced crime did not report it to the police. Almost half of these individuals cited a lack of confidence that their reports would be taken seriously as the primary reason for their silence.
Additionally, one-third of women expressed their hesitancy to report future crimes based on their previous encounters with reporting incidents.
Taking the feedback from their communities to heart, Wiltshire Police’s dedicated Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) team meticulously analysed every piece of data and feedback from the survey. The objective was to identify areas requiring focused efforts and initiate substantial improvements in their response to violence against women and girls.
As a direct result of this process, the police force has implemented a range of significant changes to their approach, including specialised training for over 1,600 officers and staff to identify signs of domestic abuse. In addition, call handlers have received enhanced vulnerability training to recognise indications of abuse from the initial contact with women and girls seeking help.
To ensure crucial evidence is captured promptly for future prosecutions, all officers are now required to activate their Body Worn Cameras when attending potential domestic abuse incidents. Furthermore, the force has increased the number of officers and staff dedicated to overseeing investigations, introducing Volume Crime Teams and establishing additional roles in the CID departments.
These concerted efforts have yielded promising results. Notably, there has been a marked improvement in the outcomes of incidents involving rape and serious sexual offenses.
Domestic abuse incidents have also seen positive outcomes, with an impressive 89.9% arrest rate for the highest-risk cases over a rolling 12-month period. The number of Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs) granted has increased, with 27 DVPOs issued between January and March this year. Additionally, officers have demonstrated a commendable 96-99% completion rate for risk assessments conducted during incidents of domestic abuse, stalking, and honor-based violence.
However, Wiltshire Police acknowledges that there is still work to be done. Recognising the urgency of the situation, Detective Superintendent Sarah Robbins, the VAWG lead for Wiltshire Police, emphasised their commitment to radical change and the need to reduce violence against women and girls. The force’s consultation with women and girls in Wiltshire had made it abundantly clear that further improvements were essential.
The progress made thus far is detailed in a comprehensive update available on their website. Wiltshire Police’s message to the community is unequivocal: there is an ongoing commitment to improve their response to violence against women and girls, and they implore individuals to continue speaking out.
For those who have experienced or witnessed a crime, Wiltshire Police always encourages reporting. In emergencies, dial 999 immediately, while non-urgent situations can be reported by calling 101 or through the online crime reporting system on their website. Individuals can also contact CrimeStoppers at 0800 555 111 to provide information anonymously.
