Violence against women and girls

Part of: Police engagement with women and girls Protecting people from violence and abuse Victims and resolutions

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) offences are violent and high-harm crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls. This includes domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking and female genital mutilation.

Our inspections and reports

Interim report: Inspection into how effectively the police engage with women and girls 7 July 2021

In March 2021, the Home Secretary commissioned us to inspect how the police work with victims, offenders and witnesses.

We published the interim findings of our inspection into how effectively the police engage with women and girls in July 2021. This was so that our evidence could inform the government’s violence against women and girls strategy.

Final report: Police response to violence against women and girls – 17 September 2021

The final report sets out findings and recommendations on how effectively the police respond to violence against women and girls offences. It draws on the findings of new inspection activity, and on our work to gather female victims’ and survivors’ views.

A duty to protect: Police use of protective measures involving violence against women and girls – 24 August 2021

In 19 March 2019 we received a super-complaint from the Centre for Women’s Justice about the police use of protective measures in cases involving violence against women and girls.

Together with the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), we carried out a joint investigation and made recommendations to Chief Constables, the Home Office, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and the Ministry of Justice.

Responses to recommendations

You can access the responses from bodies subject to recommendations and actions in the report on the Centre for Women’s Justice’s super-complaint on the police use of protective measures in cases involving violence against women and girls.

Read the responses from bodies subject to recommendations and actions

Inspection of the policing of the Sarah Everard vigil – 30 March 2021

This report was commissioned by the Home Secretary and Mayor of London. It examines how the Metropolitan Police Service handled the policing of the vigil in memory of Sarah Everard held on Clapham Common on Saturday 13 March 2021.

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