Lincolnshire Police treats violence against women and girls (VAWG) on a par with counter-terrorism but domestic abuse charity Refuge says more could be done
Police are taking the same approach to domestic abuse as they do terrorism — but a leading charity argues more can be done to tackle the rise in this crime.
Officers at Lincolnshire Police receive Domestic Abuse Matters training as a key priority as they grapple with how to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) with crimes of this nature rising, as highlighted in the brutal murder of Holly Bramley by her husband in Lincoln.
Expert officers are also on a mission to make sure victims don’t feel they are to blame for such incidents as part of a campaign to bring more perpetrators to justice.
However, Refuge, the largest specialist domestic abuse organisation in the UK, states more could be done for many more victims - saying that police receive a call every 30 seconds relating to domestic abuse.
But Detective Superintendent Suzanne Davies, lead for VAWG at Lincolnshire Police, emphasised the message that domestic abuse will not be tolerated and that officer training is key.
She said: “Blame lies entirely with the abuser. Domestic abuse is not inevitable or acceptable and it is never the fault of the victim. We want to break down the barriers that stop someone getting the help they need. It is vital to understand what abusive behaviour is.
“Abuse can be psychological or emotional – it doesn’t always involve violence. It could be control of you, your money or how you behave. This behaviour cannot be justified by mental health issues, alcohol or drug misuse, money worries or stress.”
Lincolnshire Police use the 4P approach of policing when dealing with VAWG - prevent, prepare, pursue and protect - the same approach as taken with terrorism. Every officer does the training to enable an understanding of the bigger picture of domestic abuse.
The training is transparent and robust but there is still criticism that more could be done for many more victims.
Ikram Dahman, interim director of fundraising, policy and communications at Refuge, said: “Violence against women and girls is at epidemic levels.
“Around one in four women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime, and on average, one woman is killed by an abusive partner or ex every five days in England and Wales.
“At Refuge, we believe that domestic abuse and VAWG is a gendered crime that will not end until we have radical culture change which addresses gender inequality – the root cause of VAWG.
“Changing attitudes and laws is the only way to build a future where no one lives in fear of abuse or violence.
“Refuge is committed to a world where domestic abuse and VAWG is not tolerated, and where women and their children can live in safety.”
Officers in this county receive training to transform the force’s response to incidents, gaining an understanding of coercive control and challenging a culture of victim blaming.
In April, the family of Holly Bramley called for the 26-year-old’s shocking death to serve as a reminder of the dangers of domestic abuse at the hands of her husband Nicholas Metson.
His brutal attack saw him stab Holly to death and then cut her body into more than 200 pieces.
Metson, of Shuttleworth House, Lincoln, was handed a minimum of 19 years and 316 days behind bars before he can even be considered for release by the parole board.
A statement, issued by Holly’s family, said: “Sadly, meeting the man who cruelly took her life was just the beginning of a rocky road for Holly as she embarked on a life of domestic abuse and, despite our trying, as a family we never managed to save her from that.
“If anything, we need her death to highlight that domestic abuse is not okay. If she had recognised that this was what she was being subjected to, we may have her home with us now.”
The campaign to tackle violence against women and girls is in prime position on the Lincolnshire Police website.
VAWG Voices - an independent group that creates a safe space for women to speak openly - takes centre stage.
The #SpeakOutNow campaign which promotes ‘being an upstander and not a bystander and challenging or reporting inappropriate behaviour.’ sets out to tackle VAWG by ‘rooting out and challenging sexist and misogynistic behaviours’
Campaigns such as StreetSafe and 16 Days of Action, You’re Right, That’s Wrong are in place along with encouraging people to report signs of domestic abuse.
Education is a key factor in changing the growing tide of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls with VAWG youth co-ordinators helping to change the system.
Lincolnshire Police also support the Government’s Enough campaign in challenging abusive and harmful behaviour against women and girls.
The force also promotes the use of Hollie Guard - a free personal safety app which has a location tracker, key ring alarm and can help act as a deterrent.
Police statistics show that ‘one in five women are victims of sexual assault (or attempted assault) in their lifetime (5% of victims are men), over 27% of women had experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16 (14% of men), and 20% of women aged 16-74 had experienced stalking since the age of 16 (10% of men).’
Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, Deputy CEO of the College of Policing and National Police Chief’s Council lead for VAWG, said: “We are absolutely determined to turn the tide on violence and abuse faced by women and girls and will continue to work tirelessly to do better for victims.
“Our focus will always be to bring the men behind these pervasive crimes to justice.
“By enhancing the way we use data and intelligence, we will improve our ability to identify, intercept and arrest those causing the most harm in communities.
“We know that continuous improvement is needed to strengthen policing’s response to VAWG.
“Improvements must be driven nationally, ensuring consistency from force to force to give victims the service they expect and deserve.”
Lincolnshire’s police — in line with national counterparts — have ensured VAWG is now officially classed as a national threat by government.
The 4P approach underpins every police force’s plan to tackle VAWG:
Prepare: forces must have the right culture, skills and resources
Protect: action is being taken to protect individuals, families and communities
Pursue: perpetrators of violence are being relentlessly pursued
Prevent: policing must work with partners as part of a whole-system approach
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