Navigating the Use of Protection Orders in Tackling Violence against Women and Girls | Tackling VAWG and RASSO Impact Days
Principle One works in partnership with UK Law Enforcement to deliver mission critical capabilities. Over the last four years, this has been strengthened by a partnership with Police Now, through which Principle One welcomes a small group of secondees each year to work alongside experienced consultants over a four-week period. As a result, Principle One develops a much stronger understanding of the challenges faced by frontline officers, while secondees develop their problem-solving skills through participating in and applying core consulting training.
In April 2023, Principle One invited three Police Now secondees to explore how Domestic Violence Protection Notices and Orders (DVPNs and DVPOs) could be better utilised, and design a solution that can support frontline officers in applying national guidance consistently.
The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment published in May 2023 states that VAWG accounts for 15.8% of all recorded crime, and therefore places a significant demand on policing. This reflects the Strategic Policing Requirement, published in February 2023, which recognises VAWG as a national threat.
Despite this, challenges with the policing response to VAWG have been well documented. A super-complaint made by the Centre for Women’s Justice in March 2020 highlighted limited use of Domestic Violence Protection Notices and Orders (DVPNs and DVPOs) by forces, resulting in missed opportunities to protect vulnerable people. In their response, an investigation undertaken by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services, College of Policing and Independent Office for Police Conduct agreed that the evidence strongly suggests that DVPNs and DVPOs were being underused.
In addition, the super-complaint made by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust in November 2022 also raises concerns about the insufficient use of Stalking Protection Orders across England and Wales.
Although a plethora of legislative powers are available to safeguard victims of domestic abuse and stalking using protection orders, their utilisation by police forces across England and Wales is highly variable and more must be done to improve their effectiveness as a safeguarding tool.
A link to the White Paper can be found here.
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