Women’s Aid responds to government announcement to scrap Police and Crime Commissioner roles

Isabella Lowenthal-Isaacs, policy manager at Women’s Aid, comments:

“While we acknowledge the government’s wider plans for the reorganisation of local government , we would like to express our hope that the specialist knowledge of some Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), especially when it comes to their understanding of domestic abuse and wider forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), is not lost.

 

“Sadly, trust in police and the justice system is critically low, and survivors need confidence that their complaints will continue to be taken seriously and that there will be clear accountability for improving police performance. We are also worried that this change could place additional pressure on local authorities, increasing the risk of rushed or poorly informed commissioning decisions – with the greatest cost borne by survivors themselves.

 

“We therefore hope that in the transition process, there will remain dedicated individuals responsible for delivering the government’s ambitious goal of halving VAWG within a decade. We are also keen to understand how this decision will be reflected in the VAWG Strategy, given that a significant proportion of domestic abuse and wider VAWG provision is currently commissioned through Police and Crime Commissioners.”