More needs to be done to make reporting violence against women and children easier, says Bedfordshire's deputy police and crime commissioner

PCC John Tizard with deputy PCC Umme Ali. Photo: Labour Party

Bedfordshire’s deputy police and crime commissioner (DPCC) has said “more needs to be done” to make it easier to report violence against women and children.

On Tuesday (September 17) the police and crime commissioner’s (PCC) new Police and Crime Plan – ‘A safer and fairer Bedfordshire’ was presented to the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel.

The plan said there is a national emergency whereby “one in twelve women” are affected by crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking or harassment in their lifetime.

And Bedfordshire is “no exception to this”.

Within its ‘Protecting women and children from violence’ section, the plan states that “over the past year, over 11,000 instances of violence against women and children were recorded in Bedfordshire”.

It adds that the county is to start a journey that will “deliver the government’s landmark mission to halve violence against women and children within ten years.”

This includes exploring new ways to make it easier for victims of sexual crimes and abuse, including child abuse, to report crimes safely.

The DPCC, Umme Ali, said the reporting of these types of crimes was low for “a number of reasons”.

“We know that there’s a lack of trust in policing and the criminal justice system,” she said.

“There’s the stigma that comes with reporting.

“Conviction rates are [also] incredibly low, it’s deplorable, it’s unacceptable,” she said.

“We’re not just focusing on one type of victim,” she added.

“We’re focusing on all victims, and that will add to the aim to increase public confidence and to increase the reporting of crime.

“[But] it’s not just a policing issue, things like domestic violence are not just the policing issue.

“We really need to work hard and work with our partners, so within the local authorities, [and] our safeguarding boards within the healthcare system [for example].

“There’s so many areas we need to work on, but I do think the key is partnership working .

“We need to ensure that there’s a joined up approach and we’re all focused on improving the experience for women and children across Bedfordshire.”