Refresh of VAWG Strategy and Delivery Plan
The current VAWG Strategy covers the period
2022-2024, and the six Strategic Objectives and 12 Outcomes and 17
Aims set out in the Delivery Plan are now due to be fully reviewed
and updated accordingly to ensure they remain aligned to local need
and expectations. This review and refresh of the VAWG Strategy is
aligned to the timeframes for the new Police and Crime Plan and
Fire and Rescue Plan, with the new Strategy to be place from April
2025 for an initial period of four years.
To inform this review, work has commenced to
re-assess local need and demand by collating all available relevant
data, including reported crimes and incidents, commissioned
services performance data and other relevant information or
intelligence. Acknowledging that VAWG offences continue to be
under-reported, we will work with the VAWG Professionals Sub-group
as well as the York Centre for Voluntary Service (known as York
CVS) and Community First Yorkshire to maximise opportunities to
link in with other local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise
(“VCSE”) organisations, particularly non-commissioned
specialist support services and charities to enhance data already
available.
A detailed analysis of the latest VAWG Survey
responses will be undertaken to ensure the voices of victims and
survivors remain central to the development of our Strategic
Objectives. The OPFCC are also exploring options to facilitate
focus groups and other consultation methods to expand our reach and
engagement with more diverse communities to ensure that everyone is
given the opportunity to have their views represented.
Alongside this, a comprehensive Communications
and Engagement Plan will be produced in partnership with our
Communications and Engagement and Inclusivity and Public Confidence
teams to increase awareness and accessibility of support services,
projects and initiatives delivered under the VAWG Strategy and how
they contribute to achieving the 17 Aims
and 12 Outcomes of the six Strategic Objectives. This
Communications and Engagement Plan will be aligned to the full
scope and duration of the refreshed VAWG Strategy and will support
achieving the Outcomes under Objective 1 in particular by focussing
on developing a range of consultation and engagement opportunities
with under-represented communities and groups.
The Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime,
Jo Coles will host a VAWG Summit on the 25th November
2024 for strategic leads and local stakeholders to agree a vision
for the VAWG Strategy, alongside refreshed Strategic Objectives,
Outcomes and Aims from 2025. This will include considering how we
will know whether we are successfully achieving our joint strategic
priorities, identifying key performance measures, shared
opportunities and risks, and mapping key areas of overlap or
interdependencies where closer partnership working maybe
required.
Progress Achieved in past 12-months
Objective 1: Listening to All Women
and Girls, including those from rural and under-represented
communities, and proactively seeking feedback to inform continuous
service improvements
Outcome 1.1: Proactive engagement with
under-represented communities and seldom heard women
In July 2023, we
launched a new VAWG Survey to assess the difference we have made to
date by hearing about specific experiences of violence or abuse,
and in particular, the type of response and support received; we
also asked if there is anything else the public think should be
done locally to tackle VAWG. In the 12-months from 31st
July 2023 to 1st August 2024 we have received 264
responses, which will be used to inform the refresh of the 17 Aims
and 12 Outcomes of the six Strategic Objectives as set out in the
current Delivery Plan. This VAWG Survey will remain live
indefinitely on the OPFCC’s website here:
What should be done to STOP Violence Against Women and Girls?
and will be reviewed at least every six months to ensure the views
and personal experiences of victims and survivors remain central to
shaping and driving our future activities. We will continue to work
with our partners and key stakeholders to promote the VAWG Survey
and encourage responses from under-represented communities and
seldom heard women.
Focus Groups and interviews continued to be
held with those willing to share their expertise by experience to
ensure the voices of victims and survivors inform practice
development and innovation on key issues including:
·
in October 2023, a Victims of Rape Focus Group discussed and
reviewed the letters to be sent from the CPS (instead of the
Witness Care Unit) to inform them of the outcome of their case and
consider how we measure the impact of these letters on those who
receive them, and also considered how victims would like to be
represented at OPFCC and/or CPS Rape Scrutiny Panels; and
·
in January 2024, a Focus Group was convened with five women who are
currently being supported by York Drug and Alcohol Services which
helped identify gaps in current service provision for women who use
substances and a new weekly women-only recovery group now takes
place at York Women’s Centre as a result.
Trusted relationships continue to be developed
with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities at four sites across
North Yorkshire in Burn, Carlton, Thirsk and Stokesley through a
new Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Domestic
Abuse Community Support Officer pilot commissioned by North
Yorkshire Council; between October 2023 and June 2024, 19 victims
accessed support, including three adult males and nine workshops
were delivered on-site, plus 32 off-site support sessions
were elivered to 15
individuals, resulting in 20 onward referrals into specialist
services.
Outcome 1.2: Ensure parity of
services across both urban and rural areas, and other isolated
communities
‘Liberty Links’ continues to provide
mobile and outreach services to women in rural and other isolated
communities throughout the Ryedale district via a specially
converted van; since commencement in August 2023 this provision has
provided Brief Intervention support to 116 women and 59 women have
been engaged into longer-term support as a result. Further
additional funding has been secured by the OPFCC through the Home
Office Safer Streets Fund for St. Giles Trust to purchase and
convert another van to reach more women, initially commencing
deployments in the Craven area in the coming months.
Serious Violence Duty Funding has also been
awarded to St. Giles Trust to develop the
‘Libby Girls’ project offering detached youth work
to girls at risk of exploitation in more urban areas, initially
Scarborough.
Drop-in sessions for women have been
established in Northallerton, Selby and Scarborough, however these
are not women-only spaces. Work is ongoing to identify suitable
premises to establish a dedicated Women’s Centre in
Scarborough.
New Beginnings have been awarded Community Safety Services
Funding by the OPFCC to expand their domestic abuse peer support
project into Craven to ensure the voices of those living in rural
and other isolated communities are heard.
The IDAS specialist Older Persons and Rural
Lead, funded via the Ministry of Justice
National ISVA/IDVA Fund secured by the OPFCC (until 31st
March 2025), continues to provide specialist support and advice
to all IDAS teams through internal training and Peer Case Reviews,
in addition to holding their own caseload where more complex
advocacy is required for older people and those living in rural
communities. As evidence suggests older people are much less likely
to self-refer into support for domestic abuse, by linking in with
services already working with older people such as Housing, Social
Care and Disability Support Services to increase awareness amongst
frontline staff and targeting services where older people are more
likely to frequent such as pharmacies, GP surgeries, banks and
supermarkets is increasing suitable referrals
into IDAS for older people.
The IDAS specialist Military Lead continues to
develop relationships with both army personnel and families living
within Catterick garrison and has now been fully integrated into
the Community-based Services support offer to include other
military communities. They have developed strong working relations
with the HIVE Information Centre (provided by the Army to give
information support to all members of the Service community) and
the Army Welfare Service at Catterick, with further work ongoing to
develop relationships with Unit Welfare Officers at the Army
Training College in Harrogate, SSAFA (the Armed Forces Charity) and
RAF Welfare services at RAF Leeming. The Military Lead hosts weekly
drop-ins at Catterick Community Hub and have delivered a 6-week
Moving On from Domestic Abuse (“MODA”) programme,
co-facilitated by a serving soldier who now volunteers for IDAS;
they are also now working with Aurora New Dawn, a national service
for Army and Navy personnel to jointly deliver MODA groups. They
continue to provide specialist training inputs and awareness
raising to army personnel including presentations to the Unit
Welfare Officers at their annual training programme days, along
with an ISVA and Children’s Worker; training for Royal
Military Police as part of their regular refresher programme; and
have interacted with over 600 personnel at 2x Military Health Fair
events in 2023. Discussions are ongoing with Army Welfare and
Mountain Healthcare Ltd to establish an Independent Scrutiny Panel
for Military Investigations and Disciplinary processes involving
domestic abuse or sexual offences.
Objective 2: Tackling the root causes of VAWG through
Prevention and Early Intervention
Outcome 2.1:
Increase awareness and promote zero tolerance of all forms of
gender inequality and VAWG
We continue to see increased reporting of hate
crime linked to misogyny and misandry since the launch of this
Strategy; 45 crimes reported in 2022 compared to 34 crimes in 2021,
and this increased again in 2023 with 51 hate crimes reported.
Misogyny continued to feature during Hate Crime Awareness week in
October 2023 with a dedicated session on ‘Misogyny, sexism
and violence against women and girls’ delivered by IDAS and
North Yorkshire Youth. This year IDAS will be offering a free
online seminar for Misogyny and VAWG on Thursday 17th
October 2024 aimed at frontline practitioners working with those
who may be impacted by these types of crimes; the full programme
for Hate Crime Awareness Week 2024 is available
online now on the North Yorkshire Partnership website:
Hate Crime
Awareness Week 2024 | North Yorkshire Partnerships
(nypartnerships.org.uk)
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are
exploring options to expand Local Intervention Fire Education
(“LIFE”) courses for young people in 2024/25 to include
misogyny. An easy read leaflet on misogyny has been jointly
developed by North Yorkshire Police and the North Yorkshire
Learning Disability Partnership as well as a One Minute Guide for
practitioners to increase accessibility of information on misogyny
as a Hate Crime.
The ‘All About Respect’ Project
has been awarded Home Office Safer Streets
Funding secured via the OPFCC to raise awareness of
gender-based violence amongst young people. ‘All About
Respect’ was developed by York St John University, York
College, and local specialist charities IDAS and Survive. The
project is student-led, working collaboratively with young adults
(aged 16-25yrs) and aims to create a space for open and honest
dialogue about healthy relationships in young adults. The funding
has been used to develop the
All About Respect Active Bystander Training modules on Sexual
Violence / Harassment / Abuse along with a module on Hate Crime;
these modules are delivered with supporting resources and can be
used independently or as part of a wider educational training
package on gender-based violence to be delivered from 2024,
initially with universities and colleges in York and Selby but with
the intention of rolling this out countywide. The funding will also
facilitate consultation with young people through a variety of
methods including dancefloor events, focus groups and surveys to
reach a large representative sample of young people locally to hear
their experiences and views.
Serious Violence Duty Funding has been awarded
to the
‘She Was Walking Home’ project which will deliver
10 awareness raising performances which are based on real-life
testimonies and educational workshops in different
educational/youth settings during the 2024/25 academic year. These
sessions will also explore language, behaviour, reporting and
support available.
The
‘Just
a Kiss’ film series funded by Home Office Safer Streets
Funding secured via the OPFCC was launched on 12th
October 2023 to raise awareness of how stalking and harassment can
manifest, targeting young people aged 16-24 years with one episode
released each day via the OPFCC’s Social Media channels
during October; there had been a total of 5,857 YouTube views of
the ‘Just a Kiss’ episodes at the end of March
2024.
‘Just a Kiss’ is now being used to
raise awareness amongst the next generation of police officers at a
local, regional and even international level – the film
series was shown to approx. 1,800 Policing students at Leeds
Trinity University in November 2023 and the University now intends
to create a dedicated learning module around the ‘Just a
Kiss’ film series; it was shown as part of a package of
support delivered by the University to Policing students at the
Lviv State University of Internal Affairs in the Ukraine, and the
University are developing a similar project for Romanian Police
Officers. Nick Wallen, Lecturer in Policing at Leeds Trinity
University said:
“Stalking and
Harassment is a serious subject that has to be taught with
sensitivity and care, and the ‘Just a Kiss’ film the
team have put together is an incredibly helpful resource as a
training tool for new Police Officers. There are a number of
different risk factors that we might see in a range of Stalking and
Harassment scenarios, and this film captures them all. We had a
fantastic reaction to the video from the Police Students on our
course today, and we really look forward to further incorporating
this film into our interactive workshop.”
More locally, ‘Just a Kiss’ was
shown to students at Craven College in Skipton in January 2024 and
students on the Uniformed Services course at Askham Bryan College
in York during Student Safety Week in December 2023, and will now
be added to their standard induction package college wide. The film
has also been circulated to staff within CPS Yorkshire and the
Humber. We are now working with North Yorkshire Police and both
universities in York, as well as the Home Office to explore options
to develop packages for university, secondary and primary school
student audiences to use the film as an educational tool.
The Halo Project were awarded Serious Violence Duty Funding to
write, produce and launch a North Yorkshire specific film featuring
black and minoritised victims of cultural harms. The short film
‘Behind Closed Doors’ is trauma informed and
co-produced with local women and girls aged up to 25 years who have
experience of cultural violence and abuse and aims to raise
awareness of the serious hidden violence and abuse faced in black
and minoritised communities. The film premiered to a limited
audience of commissioners and stakeholders at the Everyman Cinema
in York on Thursday 12th September 2024 and will shortly
be shared with education and community settings as a free resource.
The Halo Project have also been commissioned by the OPFCC to
deliver specialist Illegal Cultural Harms Support Services
including education and awareness raising to reach hidden victims
within our Black and Minoritised communities.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have
begun work to improve advice offered to individuals threatened with
arson, in response to the threat of so called ‘honour’
based crimes.
The Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance
(“DAHA”) project in North Yorkshire has delivered the
‘Domestic Abuse Awareness Course For Managers’ to
managers and team leaders in North Yorkshire Council Housing and
Customer Services since November 2023, and delivered level one
domestic abuse awareness training to all Housing staff since
January 2024 to increase awareness and recognition of domestic
abuse at an earlier stage. The DAHA project is now offering
training to Homelessness staff in Housing Law relating to Domestic
Abuse and is creating a Domestic Abuse Champions network for North
Yorkshire Council.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have
commenced work on their first Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harm
policy, operating procedure and associated training; this policy
will be delivered during 2024/25 with associated training/awareness
and processes across the organisation. This will be informed by an
assessment of the type and level of training staff need to
understand why VAWG happens, how we can respond more effectively,
and how we can work with others to prevent it; this has been
incorporated into the Prevention Team training programme. NYFRS
have also begun to assess the consistency, safety, quality and
impact of prevention interventions and established a Task and
Finish Group to introduce a Safe Person Policy and Operating
Procedure, based on national good practice.
As White Ribbon UK Supporter Organisations,
the OPFCC and North Yorkshire Police support the United Nations
‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence’
annual campaign that commences on 25th November (International Day
for the Elimination of Violence against Women and White Ribbon
Day), through to International Human Rights Day on 10th December.
There have been a series of awareness raising events and activities
carried out over this period each year including a series of short
films showcasing the support services available to women and girls
locally, with interviews with those who have used and benefited
from this support to encourage others to come forward and seek
help; these videos can be viewed on the OPFCC’s website here:
#16Days of Action - Supporting women and girls The OPFCC and
North Yorkshire Police also worked with partners, including York
St. John University during Sexual Violence Awareness Week in
February to raise awareness and promote local support services,
challenge victim blaming, and spiking awareness:
#ITSNOTOK - Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week
2024
Outcome 2.2: Increase availability of
Early Help and Community-led Interventions
StopHateUK have been awarded Community Fund by
the OPFCC to develop
‘Start Safe - Stay Safe’ a Street Harassment App
for North Yorkshire, which aims to enable and empower people,
particularly women and girls, to report incidents of street
harassment and access support and advice. The App will offer a
direct link to the police in case of emergency and allows the
capturing of audio, video, or photographic evidence in support of
their report. We are working with StopHateUK to finalise the App
with input from North Yorkshire Police Safeguarding leads, North
Yorkshire Council Safeguarding (Adults and Children) leads and City
of York Council Safeguarding (Adults and Children), Public Health
and Domestic Abuse leads. The App is now in testing phase and due
to be officially launched in late October
2024.
IDAS previously delivered Vulnerability
Training and Humankind delivered ‘spiking’ awareness
training to 187 workers in Scarborough and York night-time economy
settings to enable participants to have a better understanding of
the risks posed to lone people within the context of sexual
violence, domestic abuse, spiking and other gender-based attacks.
The OPFCC secured Home Office Safer Streets Funding for IDAS to
deliver in partnership with North Yorkshire Horizons
‘Safer Streets’ online and interactive training
sessions to workers in day and night-time economy settings from
2024/25. This training aims to help keep our streets safer and
reduce risk for those using our town and city in both the day and
night time economy, and compliments national ‘Safe
Spaces’ schemes such as Ask for Angela by increasing the
knowledge and confidence of staff to understand vulnerability,
indicators of concern, and how to take appropriate action. However,
take up to date has been limited and as at the end of July 2024,
only two sessions have taken place with 20 attendees. We are
working with colleagues within the wider Combined Authority to
promote this free training opportunity to local businesses through
the Mayoral Combined Authority Newsletter.
Objective 3: Increasing Public Confidence and Trust in the
Police
Outcome 3.1: Increase confidence in
reporting VAWG offences
The OPFCC secured Home Office Safer Streets
Funding for North Yorkshire Police to deploy ‘Project
Vigilant’ in Scarborough town centre from October 2023;
‘Project Vigilant’ is a perpetrator-focused approach to
actively prevent sexual violence and predatory sexualised behaviour
through increased specialist police visibility in the night-time
economy to detect, deter and disrupt VAWG incidents. During the
first six months, there were 6 deployments, 8 offenders identified
and 23 disruptions / deterrents of VAWG incidents.
Serious Violence Duty Funding has been awarded
to two North Yorkshire Police initiatives designed to provide more
preventative and early intervention approaches to VAWG in
night-time economy settings:
·
‘Operation Night Safe’ in Selby which will deliver
visible patrols alongside provision of ‘safe spaces’ to
help anyone who is out in the night-time economy, supported by Town
Safety Officers, to engage with the public and focus on hotspot
areas of concern; and
·
‘Operation Reach’ which is designed to address the
current perceived lack of high visibility police presence in the
night-time economy generally; officers will provide a holistic
approach to early intervention and prevention to address issues
including VAWG incidents.
We will now work together to develop a
comprehensive communication strategy and campaign to support both
Operation Reach and Project Vigilant throughout York and North
Yorkshire to increase feelings of safety in the night-time economy,
including purchasing ‘geo-fencing’ technology via Home
Office Safer Streets Funding to send targeted social media
messaging within night-time economy settings.
Trauma-aware approaches are included in
training courses completed by North Yorkshire Police for sexual
offences, child protection and domestic abuse investigations and
victim interview skills. In addition Stalking Clinics hosted by the
specialist Stalking Team specifically provide trauma-informed
investigative support and advice to officers and supervisors
investigating stalking offences, including specialist support
services available. Subject matter experts in child sexual and
criminal exploitation, domestic abuse, missing persons, and child
protection provide specialist training inputs to new recruits,
front line officers and newly promoted sergeants.
There has also been increased joint working between North
Yorkshire Police and specialist support services to help
lice officers to adopt a trauma
aware response and ensure the right support is offered when
victims do report, specifically:
·
IDAS have provided specialist training inputs to a number of police
training events including:
o Three
Sexual Offence Liaison Officers (“SOLOs”) events
attended by 48 police officers;
o Two
Specialist Sexual Abuse Investigators Development Programme
(“SSAIDP”) training courses attended by 18 police
officers; and
o SSAIDP
Continuous Professional Development event attended by 25 police
officers
·
The Halo Project have delivered around 75 online webinars and
in-person training sessions to around 3,000 frontline workers and
officers over the last two years to enhance safeguarding and
protection of black and minoritised victims.
North Yorkshire Police have now adopted
Op Soteria Bluestone to improve
responses to victims of Rape And Serious Sexual Offences
(“RASSO”). The self-assessment stage was concluded in
January 2024 and included a review of all current delivery,
practice and performance in respect of RASSO across all six pillars
of the national Op Soteria operating model; this provided several
key performance indicators against which improvement will be
measured by North Yorkshire Police. The planning phase has now
commenced to develop North Yorkshire
Police’s local Op Soteria transformational and
implementation plans, with implementation phase due to commence
from November 2024. As part of Op Soteria there is a national
training programme for all officers who attend as First Responders
for RASSO cases, focused on a trauma informed approach. North
Yorkshire Police are also exploring options to facilitate delivery
of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust’s
‘Trauma Aware Response’ training for Police, Probation
and Court staff as part of North Yorkshire
Police’s Op Soteria implementation plans.
North Yorkshire Police have introduced
‘Office Manager’ posts in all CID offices to identify
and assess “gateway” VAWG offences and ensure the most
appropriate resource is allocated as a result; where offences are
allocated to a PIP1* trained officer, PIP2* oversight will be
arranged via a Detective Sergeant providing greater oversight of
gateway offences which will ensure a full investigation plan is
agreed, thus providing a better-quality service to the victim.
*Professionalising
Investigation Programme level 1 and 2 is a structured development
programme to give the police service and other sectors of law
enforcement the skills to conduct professional investigations. It
provides consistent registration, examination, training, workplace
assessment and accreditation to a national standard.
North Yorkshire Police are also working with
CPS colleagues to progress the 10 Strategic Priorities outlined in
the new Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan which was launched in
January 2024; the Joint Justice Plan is a national framework, which
both Police and CPS must implement locally and regionally. The
Joint Justice Plan Strategic Priorities will be incorporated into
the existing North Yorkshire Police Domestic Abuse Tactical
Delivery Plan to ensure that required actions are progressed in
2024/25.
Outcome 3.1: Identify learning
opportunities and ensure continuous service improvements
The national Operation Soteria Bluestone
victim experience survey has now been completed; this was a
national survey led by academics, not police. The data from this
survey is now being shared with North Yorkshire Police to inform
North Yorkshire Police’s Op Soteria implementation plans to
develop approaches to rape investigations and prosecutions,
improving support for victims and putting the focus on the
suspect.
A recommendation within the national Op
Soteria Bluestone Action Plan is that there should be consultation
with the police prior to the CPS making a decision to take No
Further Action (‘NFA’) however the CPS locally have
raised a lack of capacity (at this time) to deliver against this
national recommendation. In the interim, it has been agreed that
when North Yorkshire Police receive a notification that the case is
to be NFA’d by the CPS this will be reviewed by the RASSO
Detective Inspector who will make an assessment as to whether they
agree with this decision and what is the learning from this (if
any); where they disagree, the appropriate challenge process will
be followed locally.
Objective 4: Strengthening the Multi-Agency Approach to Address
VAWG
Outcome 4.1: Improve joint Safeguarding and Risk Management
Approaches
The Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences
(“MARAC”) / Multi-Agency Tasking And Coordination
(“MATAC”) Steering Group continues to review current
arrangements, including meeting attendance and engagement by key
stakeholders and to ensure learning from meetings is shared at an
organisational level to continuously drive improvements, including
inviting the Halo Project as a consultant and partner to the
operational MARAC meetings where Illegal Cultural Harms is a
factor, ensuring that the voice of Black and Minoritised women and
girls are heard; toolkit aids are also being developed for
professionals supporting victims or survivors with ‘No
Recourse to Public Funds’.
The MARAC/MATAC Steering Group is now
developing case studies for victims that have been through the
journey of MARAC to understand whether the outcome of the
conference has been a positive or negative experience and to shape
delivery through their experience ensuring a victim-centred
approach is taken. A MARAC workshop was held on 17th
June 2024, during Safeguarding Week, where both strategic and
operational Leads from all participating partner agencies came
together to explore current MARAC arrangements and discuss
potential barriers to success and embed best practice across all
areas where possible.
GPs now attend York Women’s Centre on a
fortnightly basis to offer support to women who may not be engaging
with other professionals to ensure their health needs are met; the
Women’s centre also now offer a needle exchange service and a
Smear clinic. This has resulted in women appropriately being
referred and admitted to hospital where further treatment was
required. A quarterly professionals women’s group has also
been established, led by Humankind to discuss case studies/good
news stories, partnership work with other women's services, trends
or patterns (support needs, offending behaviour) and challenges and
opportunities.
Exploitation Risk
Assessment Conferences (“ERACs”) safeguard those
involved in sex work, survival sex or at risk of sexual
exploitation or County Lines, including ‘cuckooing’ to
provide an offer of support; ERACs now identify and discuss on
average 22 women per month, which is over three times as many
identified per month on average last year. There are some
significant and positive stories now emerging as a result of this
multi-agency approach including:
·
‘A’ was No Fixed Abode on crash pad, being sexually
exploited, alcohol dependant, but would not engage with
professionals; they are now 40 days sober and on track to get a
place in a hostel while she waits for her own property.
·
‘B’ was experiencing sexual and adult criminal;
exploitation, substance use and declining mental health were
contributory factors, and they were also a high-risk victim of
domestic abuse from multiple perpetrators; they were supported to
complete a managed move, with ongoing safety planning, and are now
reducing their substance use.
·
‘C‘ was a victim of Child Sexual Exploitation, with
ongoing mental health issues, now a victim of adult exploitation,
with substance use and declining mental health; more recently they
were evicted from their property, and had begun a new relationship
with a serial perpetrator of domestic abuse; working in partnership
with the police Changing Lives were able to facilitate a Domestic
Violence Disclosure (also known as a Claire’s Law disclosure)
and complete safety planning with her around how she could exit the
relationship safely; as a result she is now in temporary
accommodation, attending Dialectical Behavioural Therapy skills
groups, and has reported improved mental health and that they are
no longer using substances.
Outcome 4.2: Improve the experiences of those going through
Criminal Justice Processes
North Yorkshire
Police’s Case Quality Review Team have led on developing
and promoting the use of evidence-led policing approaches to
support Evidence-Led Prosecutions (“ELP”) where
appropriate. The team have assessed around 500 cases for referral
to CPS over 12-months; of these 37 were identified as suitable for
ELP. The Case Quality Review Team also work closely with the CPS
including sharing videos from CPS around what a good ELP
investigation looks like and a review of cases where the CPS took
NFA submitted prior to May 2023 is underway; 19 cases have been
assessed so far, of which 6 were presented as ELP but none had
sufficient evidence to prosecute.
Steps have been taken to prompt ELP
consideration including on the Domestic Violence Protection Notice
template and case file checklist, and a new Outcome 16 template
also requires information around why ELP is not being progressed
where the suspect was identified, but the victim doesn't support
(or has withdrawn support for) police action. ELP drop-in sessions
have been held since October 2023 and ELP also features in every
Crime Managers Meeting. North Yorkshire Police are also
participating in academic research (led by the Open University)
around the impact of ELP on victims and a workshop took place in
York in March 2024 where initial findings were shared; these
findings will be published in due course and will be used to inform
North Yorkshire Police’s strategy to improve the charge and
outcome rates for ELP for Domestic Abuse related offences
specifically.
More victims of VAWG offences have benefited
from special measures at court as a result of North Yorkshire
Police’s Special Measures Advisor
pilot within the Witness Care Team which started in February last
year; this Advisor takes a proactive approach to reviewing cases
pre-charge, and if it is felt that special measures are needed then
they will reach out to the officer in the case (“OIC”)
to advise on an application for the identified special measures
required, which will in turn raise overall awareness of suitable
Special Measures to be applied for in future cases.
The Special Measures Advisor has developed a
new booklet which officers can give to victims and witnesses should
they have questions; this is also available for use by external
partner agencies such as the Witness Service and the ID/SVA
services and has had positive feedback from those who have used it
so far with some officers stating it has helped them and victims to
understand the options available to them and the process involved
in applying for special measures at court. North Yorkshire Police
also now have a new and more detailed MG2 form used by officers
which provides an explanation of what each type of special measure
is and highlights crucial differences locally such as how the
screens can vary from court to court; this has also had positive
feedback with officers confirming that the increased detail has
made it more victim focused and is more informative and makes the
process easier for victims to understand.
A pilot commenced in April 2023 for Domestic
Abuse Practitioners (also known as an IDVAs) to be available
‘on call’ to attend plea hearings at York Magistrates
Court should somebody need support in-court, whether or not they
are an existing IDAS client; this pilot is overseen by the IDAS
Court IDVA (see below for further information) providing vital
support to victims during criminal proceedings, acting as an ideal
opportunity to link in with both prosecution and probation to
assist in impact considerations for the purposes of sentencing and
victim safety. There are on average 5/6 listings per week split
across both morning and afternoon sittings and around half of these
are known to IDAS so they can add value to these cases (even if
they are not currently receiving services from IDAS). The remaining
2-3 victims not known to IDAS, usually reside out of area and IDAS
do not have any contact details (or consent) to contact them. As
victims are not present at these plea hearings, the other key
function provided through the pilot is contacting victims to ensure
they are aware of the hearing and that IDAS will be attending to
feed in on their behalf and to update victims on the outcome
afterwards, and where possible, re-offer a full support package,
including support for any trial and/or sentencing hearings and
beyond through the community-based teams. On average 3-5 active
clients being supported through the pilot at any one time following
initial plea hearings; to date, 6 victims have been supported via
the pilot all the way through their Criminal Justice journey from
initial plea hearing through to full trial and/or sentencing. We
are working with IDAS to explore how this approach could
potentially be rolled out at other courts throughout North
Yorkshire.
The Court IDVA is now a member of the Justice
Participation and Engagement Group Panel for Crime, chaired by the
HM Courts and Tribunal Service; the aim of this group is to bring
the voices of victims to the attention of the panel in order to
discuss new ways of working and responses to domestic abuse.
Outcome 4.3: Improve the experiences of those going through
Civil and Family Court Proceedings
The OPFCC secured
Ministry of Justice funding for IDAS to employ a dedicated
Domestic Abuse Practitioner (also known as
an IDVA) who provides specialist support to victims of domestic
abuse going through Family Court processes (until March 2025). The
Court IDVA also ensures that learning and best practice is embedded
throughout the wider support teams through weekly Practitioner
Drop-ins for all IDAS staff to provide specialist advice and
guidance to practitioners to enable them to better understand and
therefore support their clients through the civil and family court
processes. To support this, the Court IDVA coordinates a team of
Family Court Champions across IDAS, with a designated practitioner
from each of the locality and specialist teams taking part in
regular key training and forums to share that knowledge and
awareness and embed best practice within their own teams.
The Court IDVA also holds their own caseload
of those more complex cases providing a Specialist Family Court
Support package directly to between 25 and 30 victims of domestic
abuse going through Family Court processes at any one time; this
support tends to be focussed on more practical advice and support
for navigating the family court systems such as special measures
applications and liaison with key professionals such as Child and
Family Court Advisory and Support Service (“CAFCASS”)
and the Court Clerks. One client shared:
“This sort of
support is remarkable; it is really unbelievable. The impact it has
had on me and will have on others is unmeasurable. To think that
support is available when you feel so fragile and vulnerable,
trying to keep things together for the kids, is just life changing
for me. I mean, how do you ask for help when you don’t know
why or understand what’s happening and when the system is so
overwhelming? Coming to terms with abuse and making sense of that
is frightening. For me being alone in a country that was not my
place of birth and with no family and no one to turn to has been
exhausting. I have had no one, but then IDAS came along and have
given me hope again and I feel like I am getting myself
back”.
The Court IDVA has developed strong working
relationships across York, Harrogate and Scarborough Family Courts,
working closely with the Legal Team Manager as well as Security,
Ushers and Court Clerks, and they have a weekly drop-in desk at two
of these courts with IDAS materials on how to access support and
family courts FAQ distributed by the Courts in all hearing packs
provided. They delivered a training programme on the impact of
domestic abuse to all court staff from February to June 2024.
Through regular attendance at hearings to support their clients,
they have also established an excellent reputation with the local
Judiciary; within a recent court transcript it was recorded that
Judge Boorman stated that:
“your work is being
recognised, don’t always see you myself but I know you are
out there in the waiting areas helping those who need you, so thank
you”
The Court IDVA attends the Local Family
Justice Board meetings, including the Domestic Abuse Sub-Working
group to raise awareness and increase knowledge across the range of
professionals working with those going through the family courts.
They are also a member of the Family Law Panel chaired by HM Courts
and Tribunal Services, to ensure the voices of victims are heard
and to inform the design of a new client facing system that will
allow for position statements to be submitted, the legal system to
be navigated more easily and for updates to be received and
documents viewed. This system will also allow for IDAS to support
Litigants in Person to submit evidence and documents as well as
download their orders. The Court IDVA links in with the Family
Court Advisory Teams and attends monthly Child And Family Court
Advisory Support Service (“CAFCASS”) staff meetings to
share good practice around cases of domestic abuse and family court
proceedings.
The Court IDVA has also established good
working relationships with local Solicitors and Barristers to
increase the number offering pro-bono support for clients in the
York and Scarborough areas. They have established quarterly Family
Court ‘access an IDVA and a Family Law Solicitor’
drop-ins which are well attended and provide an opportunity to link
in with Solicitors supporting IDAS clients and discuss key issues
and next steps. ‘Family Courts Café’ sessions at
York St. John University have recently been established with local
Solicitors to meet with clients alongside their IDAS support worker
in a friendly, supportive and safe environment.
Objective 5: Enhancing Support Services for Victims
Outcome 5.1: Ensure high quality services are available to everyone
at their time of need
Need and demand continues to grow for
specialist support services for victims and survivors of domestic
abuse and/or sexual violence in particular, with 10,857 victims and
survivors supported through the OPFCC’s commissioned support
services in 2023/24 including specialist Domestic Abuse
Practitioners (also known as an IDVAs) and ISVAs, Exploitation
Services and Counselling; however we recognise that these figures
do not include those accessing support through non-commissioned
services and other local charities, and there will be many more
victims and survivors who are not accessing support at all for a
variety of reasons.
VAWG Survey responses will be analysed in more
detail, particularly those who reported not receiving any offer of
support and compared to the Police Domestic Abuse Survey and
national Op Soteria Victim Experience Survey responses to identify
common themes or barriers to accessing support and agree actions to
be taken to address this moving forward.
The Halo Project’s ID/SVA ‘By and
For’ Black and Minoritised Women, funded via the Ministry of
Justice National ISVA/IDVA Fund secured by the OPFCC (until 31st
March 2025), continues to provide specialist support to women and
girls who are victims, or are at risk, of illegal cultural harms.
Although providing support to small numbers, Halo have seen a 725%
increase in the number of victims supported in York and North
Yorkshire from 6 in 2022/23 to 66 in 2023/24.
In 2023/24 the OPFCC secured Home Office Safer
Streets funding to purchase and install Video Doorbells (with a
12-month subscription) for victims of post separation domestic
abuse and/or stalking; as at July 2024, 52 video doorbells had been
provided. The doorbells are distributed by IDAS as a target
hardening measure alongside specialist advice and safety planning
to improve feelings of safety and to capture any evidence of
offences including breach of non-molestation/restraining
orders.
The OPFCC, North Yorkshire Council and City of
York Council have jointly commissioned a new package of support
services to deliver a ‘Whole System Approach’ to
Domestic Abuse from April 2024; collectively investing over
£8m over the next four years to provide a holistic package of
enhanced support services for everyone affected by domestic abuse
across North Yorkshire and the City of York. The new services
include specialist support for children and young people affected
by domestic abuse within their family alongside support for those
young people displaying abusive behaviours themselves towards
family members or other young people as a result of the domestic
abuse they have experienced. The new services will enable victims
and survivors, and their children, to better cope with the
immediate impacts of domestic abuse, empowering them to make
informed choices about their safety, and rebuilding resilience to
move forward from the harm experienced.
The OPFCC continue to with police colleagues
to ensure that victims of sexual offences receive an appropriate
and timely offer of support. A pilot is currently taking place
whereby victims of sexual offences are automatically referred into
the Supporting Victims
Team who will offer a referral to an appropriate support
service to meet their needs, including but not limited to ISVA,
Women’s Centre or Exploitation Services.
The OPFCC has commissioned a new Exploitation
Support Service which commenced on 13th May 2024, delivered by St.
Giles Trust. The new support service will work with those aged
10-25yrs and will offer gender-specific support for women and
girls. The new service model will offer support to those who have
been victims of exploitation and also have a focus on prevention
and early intervention.
We continue to see growing need and demand for
more timely mental health support for victims and survivors;
pathways have now been established with 34 “first contact
workers” who are mental health professionals based in 74 GP
surgeries across North Yorkshire offering up to 4 sessions of
support. The OPFCC has also continued to secure additional funding
from the Ministry of Justice Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence
Fund (until 31st March 2025) for both commissioned and
non-commissioned specialist support services to provide additional
counselling, trauma therapy and EMDR sessions in 2024/25.
The OPFCC has signed up to the 7-force
‘Transparency in Supply Chains’ Statement in respect of
procurement and commissioning. The Modern Slavery Partnership Terms
of Reference were refreshed in 2023, including governance and
accountability arrangements, to ensure it supports effective
identification and offer of support for victims of modern slavery
and human trafficking. The Partnership now produces quarterly
reports to feedback to Community Safety Partnerships and has
contributed content to Safeguarding Week 2023 and campaign for
Anti-Slavery Day 2023.
The National Referral Mechanism is the
national framework for identifying and referring victims of modern
slavery and ensuring they receive the appropriate support. The
Single Competent Authority administers it, which is part of the
Home Office. North Yorkshire Police are fully engaged in the
National Referral Mechanism for both adults (with consent) who are
referred to the national Single Competent Authority and for
children (no consent required) who are discussed via a local multi
agency panel, acting on behalf of the Single Competent
Authority.
Objective 6: Facilitating Behaviour Change by Perpetrators
Outcome 6.1: Increase availability of interventions for
perpetrators of VAWG offences that focus on both enforcement and
rehabilitation
The OPFCC piloted a support offer for low-risk
perpetrators who are willing to voluntarily address their stalking
behaviours from January 2022 until March 2024; the OPFCC funded a
Stalking Project Worker who was co-located with the North Yorkshire
Police specialist Stalking Team to identify and contact 16 suitable
individuals, supporting the three of which who agreed to engage
with the +Choices Perpetrator Programme, with one successfully
completing the programme.
A Stalking Perpetrator Problem Profile has
been completed by North Yorkshire to inform commissioning options
of a new specialist stalking perpetrator behaviour change
programme, including options for this to be delivered as a
(mandatory) Positive Requirement attached to Stalking Prevention
Orders. The OPFCC are also working with Commissioners across the
wider Yorkshire and the Humber Region to identify options for a
regional approach to increase service accessibility and resilience
and provide greater value for money.
The recently commissioned new +Choices: Services for Perpetrators of Domestic
Abuse from April 2024 now includes an offer of support for
perpetrators who pose a high risk of serious harm, and who are
willing to engage through a new bespoke 1:1 behaviour change
programme based on the Respect accredited Drive model.
The OPFCC is now focussed on commissioning and
funding opportunities to deliver a pilot provision of a mandatory
brief intervention for low risk perpetrators of domestic abuse.
This will include an Out of Court Resolution route for North
Yorkshire Police to issue Conditional Cautions for standard risk
domestic abuse offences. We hope to have this in place from early
2025; in the interim North Yorkshire Police will continue to issue
Simple Cautions for standard risk domestic abuse cases where
appropriate alongside voluntary referrals (with consent) into
+Choices: Services for Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse and/or the
Crossroads Diversion Scheme.
The Halo Project have been awarded Community
Fund to redevelop their
‘Talk, Listen, Change’ programme for delivery in
York and North Yorkshire; this will be co-produced with survivors
of Illegal Cultural Harms, into a trauma informed community
education perpetrator programme which will be piloted in York and
North Yorkshire to a minimum of 10 perpetrators.
Outcome 6.2: Increase availability of interventions for those with
Dual Status and those with Multiple Unmet Need
Crossroads offers a Gender Specific Diversion
Scheme and uses a gender specific needs assessment for women who
offend to identify common intersectional needs; the latest cohort
report shows that those women who have completed Crossroads in a
Planned way saw a 70% reduction in (re)offending and those who
exited in an unplanned way saw a 57% reduction in
(re)offending.
The OPFCC secured
funding through the Ministry of Justice Domestic Abuse and Sexual
Violence Fund for a StopSO registered therapist (until
31st March 2025) to offer counselling to adult survivors
of rape, sexual assault or child sexual abuse who are also
perpetrators of sexual offences, including those who have made or
downloaded or shared indecent images of children as well as contact
offences. The OPFCC continue to explore interventions and funding
options for perpetrators of sexual offences, particularly online
sexual offending.
Partners have committed to working together to
develop a ‘Whole System Approach for Women’ across
North Yorkshire and City of York with the aim of improving the
response to women with multiple unmet needs, those who have been
victims, or at risk of violence and those who are involved with, or
at risk of involvement with the Criminal Justice System. Additional
funding has been secured through the Home Office Safer Streets Fund
for a Coordinator post until March 2025 who will coordinate the
development of the Whole System Approach including reviewing Hub
and Spoke services in line with any changes in local need and
demand and supported by Outreach Workers. Home Office Safer Streets
Funding has also been secured to purchase materials to enhance the
drop-in sessions which have been established.
A steering group has been established as part
of the Whole System Approach to Women to lead on the development of
a trauma-informed, end-to-end dedicated pathway for women who
offend. In September 2024, a Whole System Approach Strategic
meeting was held at HMP Askham Grange which was attended by a
wide-range of partners who came together to agree a set of shared
outcomes which will focus on women in the Criminal Justice System,
gender-specific substance use provision, increased provision and
parity of support and trauma-informed care.
The OPFCC will continue to monitor individual
outcomes for women supported through the Crossroads Gender Specific
Diversion Scheme to identify common intersectional needs and
improve the local evidence base of underlying and contributory
factors to women offending, responding to the distinct needs of
women, including any VAWG offences they may have been subjected
to.
How can you support the VAWG Strategy?
·
Participate at the VAWG Summit on 25th November –
invitations to be sent shortly
·
Promote and raise awareness of the VAWG Survey: What
should be done to STOP Violence Against Women and Girls?
·
Promote and encourage licensed premises, restaurants and other
local businesses to sign up for the free ‘Safer
Streets’ training -
Safer Streets - Business & Night Time Economy - Free Online
Training Courses
·
Promote and raise awareness of OPFCC Funded Projects and
Initiatives aimed at reducing VAWG and other violence:
Serious Violence Duty Funding – Projects
Community Safety Services Fund - Projects
Community Fund - Projects
York and North Yorkshire Victims’ Centre
Background
The new Victims’ Centre will include the
York and North Yorkshire’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre
(“SARC”) and Child Sexual Assault Assessment Services
(“CSAAS”) facilities, alongside two new Video-Recorded
(“VRI”) Interview suites will be utilised by North
Yorkshire Police to take statements from these and other vulnerable
victims and witnesses including children and young people.
The purpose of a SARC is to co-ordinate and
simplify the pathway for victims of rape and sexual assault to
access wider healthcare, social care, and criminal justice
processes to improve individual health and well-being, as well as
criminal justice outcomes. SARC (for adults) and the CSAAS (for
children) typically provide three main services following
disclosure of an offence:
·
immediate healthcare;
·
forensic examinations and collection of evidence; and
·
visually recorded interviews, supporting Achieving Best Evidence
(“ABE”) guidelines.
The Forensic Science Regulator
(“FSR”) ensures that the provision of forensic science
services across the criminal justice system (including SARC and
CSAAS) is subject to an appropriate regime of scientific quality
standards. In 2020 a new requirement for all SARC/CSAAS to be
accredited by the UK Accreditation Service (“UKAS”)
under ISO 15189 was announced. Failure to meet the accreditation
standards by October 2025 must be disclosed in any subsequent
criminal justice proceedings; this accreditation deadline was
extended from October 2023 as publication of the revised ISO and
supporting Code of Practice was delayed until late 2022/23.
Non-compliance would result in increased risk of unsuccessful
prosecution of sexual offences, decreased public confidence in the
justice process and in turn the possibility of fewer disclosures by
victims of rape and sexual assault.
Creating a new dedicated Victims’ Centre
for York and North Yorkshire will:
·
ensure our SARC/CSAAS facilities will be able to achieve UKAS
Accreditation;
·
ensure continued delivery of these services for victims of rape and
sexual assault to support them to recover, heal and rebuild their
lives;
·
provide accessible facilities for those with mobility needs;
·
improve the overall experience of all victims using these
facilities;
·
support officers in achieving best evidence when interviewing
victims and witnesses by helping them feel more assured and
comfortable; and
·
assist North Yorkshire Police in effectively meeting the
requirements of Sections 27 and 28 of the Youth Justice and
Criminal Evidence Act 1999 in respect of facilitating video
recorded interviews, cross-examination and re-examination of
witnesses.
Progress to Date
A commercial property was purchased in May
2022 which could be refurbished to meet the operational and
accreditation requirements for both SARC/CSAAS and VRI facilities;
the new premises are located in a small private business park on
the outskirts of York, close to key transport links. The building
has private outside space and a car park, with a designated,
accessible parking bay; the building also has a lift and accessible
toilets and will be compliant with the Disability Discrimination
Act 1999.
There will be two dedicated forensic
examination suites providing age-appropriate environments for the
(Adult) SARC and Child Services (CSAAS); consisting of a
forensically clean waiting room, medical examination room and
shower room with toilet facilities along with separate
family/visitor waiting rooms with ‘kitchenette’ and
toilet facilities. There will also be a non-forensic medical
examination room for non-recent cases. There will be designated
office space and ample storage for use by the SARC/CSAAS
provider/s, including secure storage and freezer facilities for
forensic samples collected for self-referral (Adult only)
clients.
There will be two self-contained VRI suites,
also with separate family/visitor waiting rooms with
‘kitchenette’ and toilet facilities, and dedicated
office space and storage for use by North Yorkshire Police.
There will also be a meeting room, hot desk
facilities and a 1-to-1/Quiet room which can be utilised by other
partners and support service providers such as Social Workers,
ISVAs or Counselling services. There will also be staff shower
facilities, kitchen and break-out areas that can be used by all
staff using the building.
Consultation workshops were initially held in
June 2022 with key stakeholders including North Yorkshire Police,
Regional Scientific Support, NHS England, ISVA Service Managers,
current SARC/CSAAS provider and Registered Intermediary Services to
review the Architects’ concept drawings. The OPFCC have
continued to work closely with these stakeholders and national
subject matter experts including the FSR and National Police
Chiefs’ Council’s Forensic Capability Network to input
into architectural and design plans to ensure the new facilities
will both meet the UKAS accreditation requirements and provide
welcoming, modern facilities to better meet the needs of victims
and vulnerable witnesses to support them to recover, heal and
rebuild their lives.
A revised ISO 15189 was published in December
2022, and updated FSR Codes of Practice and supporting guidance
issued in March 2023 which resulted in several re-designs to ensure
the facilities would be compliant with essential forensic
requirements. This has delayed planned progress and lengthened
implementation timeframes overall.
The Building Contract was awarded in December
2023, and work having commenced on site in February 2024, is now
well underway and due to be completed in December 2024. However,
issues identified on site once works commenced have necessitated
further revisions to the design plans to ensure Building Control
compliance, with increased costs incurred as a result.
We are now finalising a revised Mobilisation
Plan in partnership with the North Yorkshire Police Estates Team
and current SARC/CSAAS provider to ensure all other operational
requirements will be in place, including furnishing and decorating
the Centre and ensure a smooth transfer from the existing
facilities. This includes exploring appropriate opportunities to
consult with victims and survivors in a trauma-informed way on
proposed colour schemes, furniture options and other items to help
make them feel more comfortable.
We anticipate the new Victims’ Centre
will be open and able to accept victims from January 2025.
Annual
Progress Report for the Police, Fire and Crime Panel on the
Strategy to Address Violence Against Women and Girls; and
Victims’ Centre
