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Jo Coles - York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

Jo Coles - North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

Home - News - Commissioner welcomes focus on tackling violence against women and girls

17 September, 2021

Commissioner welcomes focus on tackling violence against women and girls

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner is welcoming today’s report on the police response to violence against women and girls from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.

Philip Allott has made addressing this issue across North Yorkshire and York one of his priorities and, although the report did not focus on this region, he wants to emphasise the steps already being taken and the work to do here. This includes:

  • Over 1,000 North Yorkshire Police officers having undertaken the ‘domestic abuse matters’ training programme in 2021 to improve their understanding of and response to domestic incidents.
  • Nearly 100 domestic abuse champions being created with further specialist training to improve identification and enhance safeguarding measures for victims.
  • 20 of these officers now leading continual ‘domestic abuse matters’ training with others to ensure long-term sustainable improvements.
  • Developing a whole family approach to supporting domestic abuse survivors to ensure there is a holistic package of support for those impacted bringing in support from different organisations, partners and charities.
  • Jointly commissioning Sexual Assault Referral Centre services for any victims of rape, sexual assault or abuse.
  • Commissioning Independent Sexual Violence Adviser services to support victims and survivors of sexual violence or abuse, including historical abuse, whether reported to the police or not.

Philip Allott, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:

“This report asks police to improve certain practices immediately but concludes it is not down to police alone to tackle violence against women and girls. I completely agree with this approach, and it is the one already being taken here in North Yorkshire and York.

“We are currently developing our full strategy on these issues, but we have not hesitated in making important changes, improvements and investments in the interim to ensure girls and women are safe and feel safe – something they should not have to worry about, but all too often sadly have to.”

For anyone affected by domestic or sexual abuse, free help is available from IDAS, whether you want to make a formal report to the police or not.