Tackling violence against racially minoritised women and girls

This project builds upon our previous research on particular forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), and on police responses to such violence, and will gather new evidence on the policing of such violence committed against racially minoritised women and girls. It will establish new partnerships and consolidate existing ones with three police forces in England to achieve the following key objectives: a) document existing patterns in the reporting of VAWG within racially minoritised communities; b) identify emerging policing challenges and best practice associated with supporting racially minoritised victims/survivors of VAWG; and c) enhance police investigative techniques, safeguarding responses and multi-agency working to more effectively support racially minoritised victims/survivors of VAWG and to prevent such violence from occurring in future. We will achieve these aims by designing and disseminating outputs from this research through knowledge-exchange activities, training and best practice guidance aimed at informing frontline police officers and policing policy. Our project will advance the state of policing knowledge in a range of domains, including on particular forms of VAWG; on the issues and needs facing specific communities, including any relevant socio-cultural contexts; on the contexts and dynamics of withdrawal of victim support by racially minoritised women and girls; and on the most effective policing techniques/approaches for tackling VAWG and/or working with racially minoritised communities. In doing so, this project will improve outcomes for racially minoritised (potential) victims/survivors of violence and abuse in England and beyond. It will also contribute to academic debates on policing at the intersection of gender and race, and on policing practice/policy.