The Mayor of London published his refreshed Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy for London in May 2022. It sets out the Mayor’s response to evidence and consultation on VAWG in London and a refreshed public health approach, making clear that we must not simply respond to VAWG and police our way out of it, but rather prevent it.

This Strategy works towards the long-term ambition to:

Bexley’s VAWG Strategy and the associated action plan incorporate the ethos of the themes in the London Strategy, whilst recognising that we need to deliver a bespoke response in the borough. It is recognised that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ and actions should be tailored corresponding to the risks posed and the community’s needs.

To help understand and tackle the rise in violence against the person offences in the borough, this BCSP response encompasses four main themes, as set out by the Mayor’s Strategy:

These four themes recognise the different reasons for VAWG, the need to take action to prevent it, as well as to ensure the correct support is there for survivors. Some BCSP partners will have a much more theme-specific focused role than others. However, these areas are interlinked and interrelated and as a partnership, the CSP Board has a role in addressing them all.

We will build on the excellent partnership working between statutory and non-statutory organisations within the BCSP, particularly those already developed around domestic abuse and sexual violence. Maximising these links and working more collaboratively and creatively to best utilise diminishing resources is key to addressing these issues.

Communities and local partnerships will be at the heart of our response. This issue must be understood and owned locally so that all the relevant partners can play their part, galvanising the local response to tackling all forms of VAWG and ensure that we are reflecting local challenges within our plans.

Utilising platforms which are led by local partners, communities, and the voluntary sector, such as the Bexley Domestic Abuse Strategic Partnership Board, Bexley Voluntary Service Council, Bexley Domestic Abuse Champions, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Joint Engagement Team, Youth Groups, and the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership, will be essential.

Commissioning innovative projects from specialist providers that support communities, victims and survivors, perpetrators, and their families; is key to help prevent future victims and offenders. This should include preventative work and awareness at the earliest stage to guide young people away from inadvertently causing such harms and toward championing equality and safe spaces for all.

Ongoing and improved support services for victims and survivors of all forms of VAWG, including public space abuse and harassment, is important in aiding recovery and empowering people to help themselves as well as others.

We stress the importance of tackling the root causes of gender-based discrimination and violence and recognise the key role that both survivors and perpetrators have in addressing this and the need to be guided by real experiences.

The Strategy is supported and informed by the Domestic Abuse Strategy tailored to the specific issues around domestic abuse and sexual violence in Bexley. It focuses on prevention and early help, partnership working, service provision, protection and safeguarding of survivors, progression and training of key players. The Domestic Abuse Strategy is ‘owned’ by the Bexley Domestic Abuse Strategic Partnership Board and monitored by the Domestic Abuse Operational Group, which reports into that Board.

The VAWG Strategy will be `owned’ and monitored in Bexley by the BCSP Delivery Group. This group reports to the BCSP Board, comprises of both statutory and non-statutory members and is led by a BCSP board member. Reporting on the delivery of the VAWG Strategy will be to both the BCSP Board as well as the Bexley Domestic Abuse Strategic Board, in reflection of its cross-cutting nature.

The Southeast Police BCU from the MPS brought Greenwich, Lewisham & Bexley boroughs together into one Basic Command Unit (BCU) in 2018. This has demonstrated itself as a useful format in which to further share information, best practice, and emerging trends in the three boroughs around all crime issues.

Bexley has sat within the top six of the ‘safest’ London boroughs based on total crime offence statistics since 2011. This is an enviable position that we don’t wish to fall from, despite the current challenges that all boroughs face around serious violence. This Strategy aims to keep us in that position by tackling all aspects of gender-based violence in collaborative and innovative ways.

NB: Background information on data, associated links referenced in the strategy and a glossary are in the attached appendices.