Police make tackling VAWG a key priority in Wiltshire
The Chief Constable has unveiled two new key aims for the organisation
Wiltshire Police is making tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) one of its top priorities.
Chief Constable Catherine Roper has unveiled her revised key aims with reducing and preventing VAWG introduced alongside improved outcomes for victims, while safer public spaces has been retained.
She said these are a reflection of the concerns raised to her across the county and that they will tackle the issues that matter most to communities.
Chief Roper added that "significant" improvements to operational delivery had been made since she established her first priorities of safer public spaces, reducing violence and burglary in 2023.
The focusses saw the use of mobile police stations doubled, conviction rates and further action in rape and serious sexual offence cases increase, greater detection of drug possession and the number of reported residential burglaries reduced.
Why VAWG has become a priority
The Chief told Greatest Hits Radio that people have a right to feel safe wherever they are in Wiltshire.
She explained that the Force has seen a rise in reports of domestic abuse, of violence against women and girls and of stalking. This is partly down to the efforts made within the organisation to improve how it handles such cases, which has lead to more people coming forward.
In the year end to March 2025, reports of stalking and harassment cases to Wiltshire Police had risen by 8% on the year before, suggesting greater trust and confidence in policing.
Chief Roper said: "It's absolutely essential that we tackle this with our partners, because of course, over recent years, we've increased our partnership, but we need to do more."
"Women shouldn't have to change their behaviour to feel safe"
The priority of taking greater action to tackle VAWG will target the behaviour of perpetrators, the Chief Constable said.
"We're working with our partners to make sure that we are increasing our awareness of vulnerability, encouraging people to report, and then holding perpetrators to account," she said, insisting it's vital people reach out.
It's widely considered that women should not have to feel obliged to change their behaviours in order to stay safe. Charities supporting people affected by abuse have told us women will phone friends when walking home after dark or change their running routes to ease concerns.
The Chief believes this is wrong: "If you're changing what you're doing because someone else is requiring you to change what you're doing, that's not okay."
She urged people with concerns to call police or one of their partner organisations because they want to ensure predatory behaviour is stamped out, but admitted it does take courage to do speak up.
"It takes courage to come forward because often you know that when you report, your whole world is about to change.
"We are trying to find a way that we can really support our victims, really support people through that reporting journey, support them through the criminal justice process, which can be complicated at times, and making sure that we hold perpetrators to account for their behaviour, whilst making sure we support the individual, the victim at the heart of the criminal act."
Connected priorities
The Chief Constable told us the three priorities are interwoven to ensure people can feel safe inside and outside their homes.
It's hoped that with the commitment to making public spaces safer and the focus on reducing and preventing VAWG, there will be fewer people suffering harm, and anyone who does, has the confidence to speak up.
The aim to improve victim outcomes centres on robust investigations to ensure victims are supported fully, with hope of further increasing trust and confidence in the system that, not only justice will be achieved, but people are able to rebuild after their experiences.
“My officers, staff, volunteers and I remain fully committed to Keeping Wiltshire Safe," the Chief said.
A Facebook Live event will be held on 11th May at 6.30pm, allowing us to learn more about the priorities and put our questions to the Chief Constable.