The South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) recently held a Violence Against Women and Girls engagement event.
The event was held as a follow up to the launch of the South Yorkshire Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership Statement of Intent in September 2022.
Signed by 30 organisations across the county, the Statement of Intent sets out a shared set of principles to address Violence Against Women and Girls in South Yorkshire.
The event gave signatories to the Statement the opportunity to update on the work they have done in this area since it was launched.
Presentations were delivered by the Office of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, South Yorkshire Police, Barnsley Council, City of Doncaster Council, Rotherham Council, Sheffield City Council, and Doncaster College, and there was also an opportunity for small group discussions to explore the issue in more detail.
Graham Jones, Head of the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit said: “When the Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership Statement of Intent was launched in September 2022, one of the questions we were asked was around how signatories would be held accountable against the values and objectives they had signed up to.
“This event provided an opportunity for signatories to update on the work they have done since the Statement was launched, and I am grateful to the organisations who delivered presentations.
“It is important that we maintain our work in this area, and in the coming months the VRU will be holding further events focusing on the work done by community and third sector organisations, as part of a coordinated approach to tackling this issue.”
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “Violence Against Women and Girls can only be addressed through collaborative working between organisations locally, regionally, and nationally.
“As we come to the end of my time as PCC, I am pleased that in South Yorkshire, we are making progress in developing the partnerships which are at the centre of our work in this area.
“The Partnership Statement of Intent, launched in 2022, provides a framework and a shared set of values and objectives for tackling Violence Against Women and Girls.
“I spoke at the event when the Statement was first launched, and attending this event, it was pleasing to hear from partners about some of the work they have done since then.
“I am confident that this collaborative approach and the desire for change in this area are well embedded, and will continue to progress after I leave office in May.”
