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Violence Against Women and Girls

The Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy and action plans set out the CPS' vision for developing VAWG work. The actions aim to secure the coordination and improved prosecution response to a range of crimes that are committed primarily by men against women, within a context of power and control.

The CPS developed a violence against women strategy, not only as a result of the importance the Service places on improving prosecutions of these crimes and supporting victims, but also in recognition of the United Nations, Council of Europe and End Violence Against Women Campaign initiatives and as part of the cross-government VAWG strategy. Our commitment to this work is reflected in the fact that CPS includes violence against women in its key priorities. This section provides links to policy and guidance reports on Violence against Women and prosecution performance information. It includes VAWG work in relation to:

  • domestic violence;
  • forced marriage;
  • honour-based violence;
  • female genital mutilation;
  • rape and sexual offences;
  • prostitution;
  • trafficking;
  • child abuse; and
  • pornography

Policy and Guidance

Title

Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plans

Description

The CPS Violence Against Women (VAW) strategy sets out the vision for developing our VAW work, building on the work of 2006-07, and provides supporting action plans for future work.

Format

Available online in this section and to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF
Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plans (opens in new window)
Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plans - English - PDF
Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plans - Welsh - PDF

Title

Domestic Violence Prosecution Policy and Guidance

Description

This sets out the CPS' policy and guidance in relation to cases of Domestic Violence

Format

Available online in the Publications section on this site
Domestic Violence Prosecution Policy and Guidance (opens in new window)

Title

Rape Prosecution Policy and Guidance

Description

This sets out the CPS' policy and guidance in relation to cases of Rape

Format

Available online in the Publications section on this site
Domestic Violence Prosecution Policy and Guidance (opens in new window)

Title

Prostitution and Exploitation of Prostitution Legal Guidance

Description

This sets out the CPS' legal guidance in relation to cases of Prostitution and Exploitation of Prostitution

Format

Available online in the Legal Guidance section on this site
Prostitution and Exploitation of Prostitution Legal Guidance (opens in new window)

Title

Forced Marriage and Honour Based Violence Legal Guidance

Description

This sets out the CPS' legal guidance in relation to cases of Forced Marriage and Honour Based Violence

Format

Available online in the Legal Guidance section on this site
Forced Marriage and Honour Based Violence Legal Guidance (opens in new window)

Title

Female Genital Mutilation Legal Guidance

Description

This sets out the CPS' legal guidance in relation to cases of Female Genital Mutilation

Format

Available online in the Legal Guidance section on this site
Female Genital Mutilation Legal Guidance (opens in new window)

Performance Information

Title

CPS Violence against Women and Girls crime report 2010-2011

Description

This is the fourth Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) annual report, and covers the following strands of Violence against Women and Girls for 2010-11: domestic violence; forced marriage; honour based violence; female genital mutilation; rape and sexual offences; human trafficking; prostitution; child abuse; and pornography.

Format

Available to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF
CPS Violence against Women and Girls crime report 2010-2011 - English PDF
CPS Violence against Women and Girls crime report 2010-2011 - Welsh PDF
CPS Violence against Women and Girls crime report 2010-2011 - Statistics PDF
Underlying data relating to the fourth CPS Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) annual report

Title

Domestic violence monitoring snapshot

Description

Annual snapshot monitoring of our performance in prosecuting domestic violence cases.

Format

Available online in this section
Domestic violence monitoring snapshot - December 2006
Domestic violence monitoring snapshot - December 2005

Archive publications by year

2010

Title

CPS Violence against Women crime report 2009-2010

Description

This is the third Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Violence against Women (VAW) annual report, and covers the following strands of Violence against Women for 2009-10: domestic violence; forced marriage; honour based violence; female genital mutilation; rape and sexual offences; human trafficking; prostitution; child abuse; and pornography.

Format

Available to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF
CPS Violence against Women crime report 2009-2010 - English PDF
CPS Violence against Women crime report 2009-2010 - Welsh PDF
Underlying data relating to the third CPS Violence against Women (VAW) annual report

2009

Title

Specialist Domestic Violence Courts within each Local Criminal Justice Board area

Description

The Specialist Domestic Violence Court (SDVC) programme has been running since 2005 and there are now 127 courts across the country. Local Criminal Justice Boards (LCJBs) will have responsibility for the governance and perfomance management aspects of SDVCs from 1 April 2010. This list dated 23rd October 2009 shows at a glance what courts fall within each LCJB area and will help identify, which courts have received official accreditation.

Format

Available online in this section
Specialist Domestic Violence Courts within each Local Criminal Justice Board area

Title

CPS Violence against Women crime report 2008-2009

Description

This is the second Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) annual Violence against Women (VAW) performance report, and covers the following strands of Violence against Women for 2008-09: domestic violence; forced marriage; honour based violence; female genital mutilation; rape and sexual offences; human trafficking; prostitution; child abuse; and pornography.

Format

Available to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF
CPS Violence against Women crime report 2008-2009 - English PDF
CPS Violence against Women crime report 2008-2009 - Welsh PDF

2008

Title

A consultation on the CPS Violence against Women Strategy and Action Plans - Summary of responses

Description

This is a summary of the responses to the Crown Prosecution Service consultation on its draft Violence against Women (VAW) Strategy and Action Plans. It covers the background to the consultation, a summary of the responses to the consultation, a summary of the responses to the specific questions raised in the consultation, and initial conclusions and the next steps following this consultation.

Format

Available online in this section and to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF
Consultation - Summary of responses
Consultation - Summary of responses - PDF

Title

Report evaluating the national domestic violence training programme 2005-2008

Description

The report concludes that domestic violence training continue to be delivered within the organisation and that external partners are invited to participate in that training. Published November 2008.

Format

Available online in this section
Evaluation of the national domestic violence training programme 2005-2008

Title

CPS Violence against Women crime report 2007-2008

Description

This is the first Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) annual Violence against Women performance report. This report covers a range of Violence against Women (VAW) strands for 2007 - 08: domestic violence; forced marriage; so-called 'honour' crimes; female genital mutilation; rape and sexual offences; human trafficking; prostitution; child abuse; and pornography.

Format

Available to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF
CPS Violence against Women crime report 2007-2008 - English PDF
CPS Violence against Women crime report 2007-2008 - Welsh PDF

2007

Title

A Review of Specialist Domestic Violence Court systems (SDVCs)

Description

A 2007 review undertaken of the first tranche of 23 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, which were selected in 2005/06, indicating the success of these system in improving both prosecution of domestic violence cases and safety of victims.

Format

Available online in this section
A Review of Specialist Domestic Violence Court systems (SDVCs)

2005

Title

Evaluation of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts/Fast Track Systems

Description

A CPS/DCA report evaluating five domestic violence specialist court systems.

Additional Notes

Available as Adobe Acrobat PDF
Evaluation of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts/Fast Track Systems PDF

Title

Evaluation of Domestic Violence Pilots sites at Caerphilly (Gwent) and Croydon 2005/2005 - Independent Report

Description

Final independent report summarising the finding from these Domestic Violence pilots.

Additional Notes

Available as Adobe Acrobat PDF
Evaluation of Domestic Violence Pilots sites at Caerphilly (Gwent) and Croydon 2005/2005 - Independent Report - PDF
Instrument 1 - Confidential Client Assessment Form - PDF
Instrument 2 - Domestic Violence Pilot Project Evaluation Form (CPS form) - PDF
Appendix 6 (as detailed in the Report) - List of Tables - PDF

Title

Evaluation of Domestic Violence Pilot Sites at Gwent and Croydon 2004/05

Description

Independent Interim Report summarising the evidence and issues emerging from the first phase of this evaluation (to June 2004).

Additional Notes

Available as Adobe Acrobat PDF
Evaluation of Domestic Violence Pilot Sites at Gwent and Croydon 2004/05 - PDF

2004

Title

The Use of Expert Witness Testimony in the Prosecution of Domestic Violence

Description

A report on the potential use of experts in prosecuting domestic violence cases

Format

Available to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF or hard copy from CPS EDU
The Use of Expert Witness Testimony in the Prosecution of Domestic Violence - PDF

Title

Evaluation of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts/Fast Track Systems

Description

A CPS/DCA report evaluating five domestic violence specialist court systems.

Format

Available to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF or hard copy from CPS EDU
Evaluation of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts/Fast Track Systems - PDF