Women and girls should be able to live free from the fear of violence. Sadly, this fear is often ignited from a young age.
From harassment on the streets to other forms of harmful behaviour, such actions remain all too common in daily life and are now increasingly finding footholds online.
My ambition is for women and girls in Surrey to both be safe and feel safe, whether in public or private spaces.
Addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG) requires a collective effort to challenge harmful behaviours and create meaningful change.
This issue spans a wide range of crimes, including domestic abuse, sexual offences, stalking, harassment, human trafficking, and so-called ‘honour’-based violence.
Whilst women and girls are disproportionately affected by these crimes and it is essential to prioritise their specific needs, I fully recognise that men and boys can also be victims of domestic violence, sexual offences, stalking and harassment.
As such, I will continue to ensure that every victim of crime, regardless of gender, has access to the support they need and deserve.
To support women and girls who are victims of violence:
Surrey Police will…
- Engage with the Operation Soteria Bluestone Knowledge Hub Group (a collaboration between academics and police officers to improve how the UK responds to rape and serious sexual assault) utilising its resources, national network, and best practice sharing to enhance officer training, improve victim support, and develop innovative solutions to tackle VAWG effectively.
- Ensure mentors reinforce the positive, victim-centred approaches covered during officer training, in line with the force’s commitment to tackling VAWG.
- Build public confidence in the police’s ability to investigate violence against women and girls, while empowering all officers and staff to challenge and report inappropriate behaviour among colleagues.
- Continue to strengthen its approach to police-perpetrated domestic abuse and VAWG. Regular oversight meetings will track progress and review cases to ensure survivors’ voices are heard, driving accountability and learning across the Force.
My office will…
- Ensure survivor voices remain central to the OPCC’s work by embedding their feedback, engagement, and complaints into policy development, commissioning, and strategy. Develop mechanisms to share these insights with Surrey Police, driving informed decisions and enhancing service delivery.
- Assess the needs of families of perpetrators of sexual violence and other forms of ‘hidden victimhood’ to understand their experiences and challenges. Evaluate existing support services for these individuals to determine effectiveness and identify opportunities to enhance and expand provisions, including considering their formal recognition as victims.
- Enhance scrutiny of internal support mechanisms for officers and staff supporting VAWG, including portfolio leads, focusing on measures to address burnout, improve well-being, and reduce turnover.
- We will seek to prevent victimisation by working with partners and communities to identify priority projects, learning from successful initiatives to maintain their legacy.
Together we will…
- Maintain a relentless focus on perpetrators, providing opportunities for positive behaviour change through commissioned interventions where appropriate, while bringing more offenders to justice.
- Strengthen relationships between VAWG organisations and the police by improving access to decision-makers, fostering collaboration, and ensuring regular communication to rebuild trust and partnership effectiveness.
- Explore opportunities for investment in intelligence for VAWG crimes, leveraging innovative processes like those used to track and predict other types of crime, to improve prevention and response efforts.
- Seek to prevent victimisation by working with partners and communities to identify priority projects, learning from successful initiatives to maintain their legacy.
