Force welcomes national benchmark to tackle male violence against women and girls

Today (Tuesday), the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and College of Policing launched a report outlining a baseline for all police forces in response to violence against women and girls, with a focus on rebuilding confidence within the public.

Bedfordshire Police, which has a specific focus on Male Violence Against Women and Girls (MVAWG) due to the majority of VAWG offences being committed by men, has a domestic abuse team Emerald as well as a dedicated Rape and Serious Sexual Offence (RASSO) team, each with their own Victim Engagement Officers, who work to support victims.

Last week the force launched Be Heard, a campaign which aims to break down the barriers for women of colour when it comes to reporting domestic violence, as well as highlighting the tailored support available to victims.

Detective Chief Superintendent Dee Perkins, the force’s lead for MVAWG, said: “We must be under no illusion, we must do more to support women and girls and continue to improve, support victims and target perpetrators.

“When it comes to tackling MVAWG we understand it is not a one size fits all approach, which is why we are carrying out several initiatives, taking the time to understand the different barriers and challenges in the bid to rebuild trust and confidence.

“Our recent work on Be Heard is an example of how we are making changes through the voices of survivors, we partnered with community group, Nine Red Presents, to rewrite the domestic abuse policy, and create a scrutiny panel, because as a force we are listening.”

The report highlighted a key area of focus is responding unequivocally to allegations of police-perpetrated abuse and addressing sexism and misogyny within policing. 

During the period 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022, 1,483 unique allegations were reported against 1,539 police officers nationally – or 0.7 per cent of the workforce. In Bedfordshire there were 19 reported in the same period against 27 officers.

There were 1,177 cases of alleged police-perpetrated violence, including sexual harassment and assault, reported between October 2021 and April 2022. Just over half (653) were conduct matters, the remaining cases (524) were complaints from the public. That number was 17 in Bedfordshire (eight public complaints and nine conduct).

Of the nine conduct cases in Bedfordshire, four have been finalised with one officer being dismissed; one resulted in no further action and two required reflective practice. Five remain under live investigation.

All eight public complaints in Bedfordshire related to use of force where the complainant was female. Six have since been finalised, with 83 per cent found to have been acceptable service and one deemed to require some learning. 

Of the nine conduct cases in Bedfordshire, four have been finalised with one officer being dismissed; one resulted in no further action and two required reflective practice. Five remain under live investigation.

All eight public complaints in Bedfordshire related to use of force where the complainant was female. Six have since been finalised, with 83 per cent found to have been acceptable service and one deemed to require no further action.

Bedfordshire Police has a significant focus on vetting and professional standards aimed at rooting out unacceptable behaviour. The force set up the Blue Bell network in 2021 to support victims and witnesses of sexual misconduct, which empowers police officers and staff to speak out. Learning from the Blue Bell network are being shared with partners, and recently an input was given to staff at HMP Bedford on how to raise awareness.

Since 2020 in Bedfordshire, seven officers have been dismissed, or would have been had they not resigned, after being found to have committed gross misconduct for VAWG related matters.

Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst added: “We are working closely with our communities and partners to improve outcomes for women and girls through initiatives to build confidence, alongside an unwavering focus on perpetrators. This approach includes looking internally as an important part of winning the public’s trust is ensuring our own house in policing is in order.

“Just like the public, I expect the very highest standards from my officers and staff and am committed to rooting out anyone who falls short of those expectations. We have been working hard to create an inclusive culture where people are supported to challenge misogynistic or inappropriate behaviour where it exists and I expect the number of conduct cases to rise as the confidence to report grows.”

Find out more about what we are doing to tackle Male Violence Against Women and Girls.

Bedfordshire Police remain committed to tackling all forms of abuse, supporting victims of any gender, and seek to bring to justice female offenders of any crimes and take these reports just as seriously.

Anyone wishing to report any instance of male violence against women and girls can get in touch with the police on 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, you can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.