Dorset Police has said it is committed to tackling violence against women and girls following calls for national reform.

Police leaders are calling for a system wide change into how violence against women ang girls (VAWG) is dealt with - something Dorset Police is fully behind.

In a national policing statement by the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council, it was revealed that over one million VAWG-related crimes were recorded nationally during 2022/23, accounting for 20 per cent of all police recorded crime.

There are now calls for a whole-system approach that brings together criminal justice partners, government bodies and industry, in a new partnership that seeks to reduce the scale and impact of VAWG.

While reports of rape, serious sexual offences and stalking and harassment offences have decreased in Dorset over the last year, the force has recognised there is still 'work to do' and remains committed to 'relentlessly pursuing offenders' and ensuring 'victims are supported and safeguarded'. 

READ: Dorset Police commissioner speaks out on violence against women

Assistant chief constable Mark Callaghan, of Dorset Police, said: “Across Dorset we have made a commitment to protecting women and girls and it is clear from the work we are already undertaking that the answer to tackling this national issue is by all agencies working together in a whole system approach.

“Areas such as domestic abuse, stalking, harassment, child abuse and exploitation, rape and sexual offending are key priorities for the force and we are determined to do all we can to protect and achieve justice for those affected.

Some of the success to tackling the issue in Dorset include the roll-out of specialist training to detectives to investigate adult sexual offences, more Sexual Offence Liaison Officers (SOLOs) and working closely with the Wessex CPS to respond to the findings of the national End-to-End Rape Review.

The force is also part of Op Soteria, which aims to improve the response of the police service to victims of rape and sexual offences and their experience of the criminal justice process. This has resulted in a greater number of cases going to court and better support for victims.

Dorset Police says it is also actively working with partners on a range of initiatives to ensure the safety of women and girls in Dorset, including SafeSpace, a hub in Weymouth for anyone out at night that may feel vulnerable, and Op Vigilant to identify potential perpetrators.

Mr Callaghan added: “I would like to reassure our communities that we already work alongside our partners, both statutory and non-statutory, as well as with our communities to achieve our ambition. This approach includes coming together on community safety partnerships, a multi-agency safeguarding hub, and both adult and child safeguarding boards.

“We fully acknowledge that a large number of offences committed against women and girls go unreported. I would strongly encourage anyone who has been the victim of an offence to come forward and speak to us so we can investigate it and offer support.”