While Dorset is one of the safest counties in the country, we must always be pushing for further improvements. One these vital areas is Violence Against Women and Girls, a key priority of my Police and Crime Plan.  

Dorset benefited from £784,055 of government funding to improve residents’ safety following a bid between my Office, Dorset Council and BCP Council. Over the past two years, ten local projects have been commissioned under the Safer Streets programme with many directly or indirectly, aimed at preventing violence against women and girls.

I am committed to enabling the police and partner agencies to robustly deal with these abhorrent crimes. A collaborative approach is needed to stamp out violence, which is what we have operating effectively here. Intelligence, information and data sharing is vital to protect women from harm and improve criminal justice outcomes.

One of the projects, the Unity Promise launched a year ago in Bournemouth Town Centre and has seen 40 venues sign up to the charter, with plans to expand into Poole and Christchurch. It reassures customers that a company takes female safety seriously. The charter is a checklist with practical steps for businesses to take such as training for staff, to ensure the district is a safe place for women. Experts also audit venues, giving advice on how spaces could be adapted to enhance safety and reduce risk of crime. BCP’s Unity Promise encourages reporting so Dorset Police are better aware of frequency and types of incidents occurring, meaning a more accurate picture and response can be developed.

Community Safety Team Leader at BCP, Lauren Duffy explained: “During the last year, we have focussed on developing our training sessions and are now looking to adapt these to different sectors including security staff, bus drivers and hotels. The enthusiasm we received from Unity Promise champions has been refreshing. It’s great to work together with the community to improve the experiences of women and girls. We hope with the continued support of our champions current and new, we will be able to grow the Unity Promise initiative even further over the next year.”

Elsewhere, Dorset’s Sexual Trauma and Recovery Service (STARS) used funds to bring in additional staff to deliver an education programme for young people in schools across BCP, and Bournemouth University. Sixty-two sessions that focused on respectful relationships, consent and bystander training were delivered to 2,900 teenagers during the last quarter alone.

In the Dorset Council area, the Pineapple Project educate young people about the risks of exploitation and sexual assault. The charity received funding to expand their reach by recruiting more community guardians and now host sessions in Weymouth, Portland, Swanage and Dorchester. Workshops have been put on for 700 children across six schools and two colleges so far. Feedback suggest that young people have been willing to about their experiences with Pineapple Project. This provides a valuable opportunity to educate them on risks faced outside of the home and highlight behaviours that are unacceptable and potentially harmful to others.

Dorset Police will continue to deal with offences against women and girls, using the full force of the law against perpetrators. But the value of work done by groups like STARS or Pineapple Project is crucial to change attitudes and behaviour among future generations of men, to eradicate gender-based crimes in the long run.

There is no doubt women and girls must feel safe whether in town during day or night, and in their own homes and my Office will continue to work with any group wanting to make Dorset safer for women and girls. It must also be acknowledged that many sexual offences, including stalking and spiking, go unreported. I urge anyone who has been the victim of an offence recently or historically, to come forward when you are ready, and speak to Dorset Police or other relevant agencies, so you can start to get the help and support you need.

You can learn about other Safer Streets initiatives which have received investment in Dorset here

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner