The South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Dr Alan Billings, have held a virtual Violence Against Women and Girls Knowledge Sharing Event.
The Event was attended by a range of organisations from across South Yorkshire, from statutory bodies such as the NHS and local authorities, to local charity and community groups.
During the Event, Sharon Baldwin, Evaluation and Scrutiny Officer from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, presented the results of a Violence Against Women and Girls Scoping and Mapping Exercise, which she has carried out.
This has been conducted to assess the work taking place to tackle this issue in South Yorkshire, identifying any gaps in provision, and providing recommendations for future progress.
This was followed by presentations from four organisations on the work they are doing, and breakout rooms to allow participants to discuss the issues raised.
Graham Jones, Head of the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit said: “Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls is a priority for the Violence Reduction Unit.
“As mentioned during the Knowledge Sharing Event, this is too big an issue for one organisation to tackle on its own, and I’m pleased that through the VRU we have been able to play a co-ordinating role in bringing people together.
“This is important in developing the partnership working which is essential both to support victims and survivors, and to bring about long-term change.
“Following the meeting, we will continue to work closely with partners and communities across the county as we consider our next steps to drive forward this agenda.”
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “This is the fourth engagement event we have held on Violence Against Women and Girls in the last year.
“On each occasion, they have proved to be a good forum to bring organisations together, building relationships between different groups and improving our understanding of the work taking place in South Yorkshire.
“I’m grateful to all of those attended the Event, particularly those who delivered presentations on the work they are doing.
“Moving forward, this will help to shape our approach to addressing Violence Against Women and Girls, and making sure that South Yorkshire is a place where women and girls both feel safe, and are safe.”
