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Violence against Women
related information

Crime Reduction Programme: Violence against Women Initiative

The Violence against Women Initiative (VAWI) was part of the multi-million pound Crime Reduction Programme (CRP), which was announced by the Home Secretary in 1998. This was an evidence-led programme that aimed to find out what works to reduce crime by identifying and piloting a range of cost-effective approaches to crime reduction. For more information about the CRP, click here.

The Violence against Women Initiative (VAWI) is part of the government’s programme to tackle domestic violence. The aim of the initiative was to identify the most effective ways of providing support to victims and tackling domestic violence, rape and sexual assault by known perpetrators, and to disseminate good practice. For further information about VAWI, click here.


Literature reviews
A series of literature reviews was commissioned in 1999 to investigate what is known about reducing domestic violence. The reviews were summarised into briefing notes, Reducing Domestic Violence …What works? Briefing notes

These literature reviews informed the design and development of the CRP VAWI, including the criteria that were used to select projects. The briefing notes were also disseminated to agencies and partnerships, along with the Project Prospectus and Guidance for Agencies: Collecting and Managing Data to those partnerships who were thinking of applying for project funding under the CRP.


Projects
In July 2000, £10.7 million was allocated to partnerships to develop and implement a range of multi-agency victim-focused projects. These projects implemented tactics and strategies, which provided timely and appropriate support to victims, as well as a number of preventative measures in a range of contexts, and among different population groups. Thirty-four projects were funded under Round 1 (July 2000 to March 2002), and 24 of these projects were extended for an extra year, until March 2003. In March 2001 a further 24 projects were commissioned and funded until March 2003. These Round 2 projects were not evaluated and were granted money purely to implement services.


Evaluation
Independent evaluation teams were commissioned to assess the Round 1 projects. There were three key elements to the evaluation:

  • process;
  • outcome; and
  • cost and cost-effectiveness.

For evaluation purposes, projects with a similar approach, setting or target group were grouped together into the following categories:

  • Criminal and civil solutions;
  • Education and awareness-raising;
  • Rural responses;
  • Prevention and protection;
  • Black and other minority ethnic groups;
  • Health;
  • Multi-service responses;
  • Rape services; and
  • Rape perpetrator programme, and witness support.



Related Information

Research reports

Domestic Violence

Finney, A. (2006) Domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking: Findings from the 2004/05 British Crime Survey
Also available: Excel Data spreadsheets
RDS Online Report 12/06. London: Home Office.

Hester, M. and Westmarland, N. (2005) Tackling Domestic Violence: effective interventions and approaches Home Office Research Study 290. London: Home Office.

Parmar, A., Sampson, A., Diamond, A. (2005)
Tackling Domestic Violence: providing advocacy and support to survivors from Black and other minority ethnic communities Development and Practice Report 35, London: Home Office.

Parmar, A., Sampson, A., Diamond, A. (2005)
Tackling Domestic Violence: providing advocacy and support to survivors of domestic violence Development and Practice Report 34, London: Home Office.

Diamond, A., Charles, C. and Allen, T. (2004) Domestic violence and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships: findings from a self-completion questionnaire, Online Report 56/04, London: Home Office.

Mullender, A. (2004) Tackling Domestic Violence: providing support for children who have witnessed domestic violence, Development and Practice Report 33, London: Home Office.

Taket, A. (2004) Tackling Domestic Violence: the role of health professionals Development and Practice Report 32, London: Home Office.

Douglas, N., Lilley, S., Kooper, L. and Diamond, A. (2004) Safety and justice: sharing personal information in the context of domestic violence – an overview Development and Practice Report 30, London: Home Office.

HMIC and HMCPSI (2002) A Report on the Joint Inspection into the Investigation and Prosecution of Rape Offences in England and Wales. London: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary & HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

Kelly, L. (2002) A Research Review on the Reporting, Investigation and Prosecution of Rape Cases. London: HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

Myhill, A. and Allen, J. (2002) Rape and sexual assault of women: the extent and nature of the problem. Findings from the British Crime Survey, Home Office Research Study 237, London: Home Office.

Hanmer, J., Griffiths, S. and Jerwood, D. (1999): Arresting Evidence: Domestic Violence and Repeat Victimisation. Police Research Series Paper 104, London: Home Office.

Kelly, L. (1999): Domestic Violence Matters: An evaluation of a Development Project. Home Office Research Study 193, London: Home Office.

Mirrlees-Black, C. (1999): Domestic Violence: Findings from a new British Crime Survey self-completion questionnaire. Home Office Research Study 191, London: Home Office.

Plotnikoff, J. and Woolfson, R. (1998): Policing Domestic Violence: Effective Organisational Structures. Police Research Series Paper 100, London: Home Office.

Grace, S. (1995): Policing Domestic Violence in the 1990s. Home Office Research Study No. 139, London: HMSO

Lloyd, S. Farrell, G. and Pease K. (1994): Preventing Repeating Domestic Violence; A Demonstration project on Merseyside. Crime Prevention Series paper 49, London: Home Office.

Morley, R and Mullender, A (1994): Preventing domestic violence to women. Crime Prevention Series Paper 48, London: Home Office.


Rape and Sexual Assault

Kelly, L., Lovett, J. and Regan, L (2005) A gap or a chasm? Attrition in reported rape cases Home Office Research Study 293, London: Home Office.

Skinner, T. and Taylor, H. (2005)
Providing counselling, support and information to survivors of rape: an evaluation of the ‘STAR’ Young Persons’ Project, On-line report 51/04, London: Home Office.


Regan, L., Lovett, J. and Kelly, L. (2004)
Forensic nursing: an option for improving responses to reported rape and sexual assault, Development and Practice Report 31

Regan, L., Lovett, J. and Kelly, L. (2004) Forensic nursing: an option for improving responses to reported rape and sexual assault, On-line report 28/04

Lovett, J., Regan, L. and Kelly, L. (2004)
Sexual Assault Referral Centres: developing good practice and maximising potentials, Home Office Research Study 285

Harris, J. and Grace, S. (1999) A question of evidence? Investigating and prosecuting rape in the 1990s. Home Office Research Study 196, London: Home Office.



Other research

Walby, S. and Allen, J. Domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking: Findings from the British Crime Survey. Home Office Research Study 276, London, Home Office.

Budd, T. and Mattinson, J. with Myhill, A. (2000) The extent and nature of stalking: Findings from the 1998 British Crime Survey. Home Office Research Study No. 210, London: Home Office.

Harris, J. (2000) An evaluation of the use of the effectiveness of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, Home Office Research Study No. 203, London: Home Office.

Kelly. L. and Regan, L. (2000) Stopping Traffic: Exploring the extent of, and responses to, trafficking in women for sexual exploitation in the UK. Police Research Series Paper 125.

The Policing Violence Section of the Policing and Reducing Crime Unit is carrying out research on rape and sexual assault by strangers. For further information, click here.


Related publications

Home Office (2003) Safety and Justice: The Government’s Proposals on Domestic Violence. London: HMSO.

Bridgeman, C. and Hobbs, L. (1998): Preventing Repeat Victimisation: the police officer’s guide. Police Research Group, London: Home Office.

Living Without Fear - an integrated approach to tackling violence against women
is a joint Home Office/Women's Unit publication and is available from the Women and Equality Unit Website.

Domestic Violence: Break the Chain Multi-Agency Guidance for Addressing Domestic Violence

Home Office Circular 19/2000: Domestic Violence: Revised Circular to the Police

Violence Against Women - a Conference Report from the Special Conferences Unit

Domestic Violence: A Resource Manual for Health Care Professionals is available on the Department of Health website.

Joint Action Plan on Forced Marriage

Loves Me Loves Me Not – advice leaflet for victims of domestic violence

Making it Count: A practical guide to collecting and managing domestic violence data

Evaluation of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts/Fast Track Systems. A CPS/DCA report

The Use of Expert Witness Testimony in the Prosecution of Domestic Violence. A CPS publication.

 


Date modified: May 2006

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