Lincolnshire PCC insists force's Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy is there to support everyone
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire has insisted that the force is working to support everyone experiencing domestic violence and abuse.
Marc Jones (Conservative) told members of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime panel that while domestic violence “disproportionately affects” women and girls, the force will support people of all genders and identities.
At a meeting on Friday, December 12, Coun Jonathan Pessol (Conservative – Hykeham Central ward) who sits on North Kesteven District Council, asked what Lincolnshire Police was doing to support transgender people in its Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.
Mr Jones said: “In the broadest sense, when we talk about violence against women and girls, we’re talking about crime types which disproportionately affect women and girls.
“It doesn’t exclusively affect women and girls.”
He added: “There’s a significant number of men who are affected by domestic abuse as well.
“The violence against women and girls agenda does predominantly affect women and girls but more broadly affects society.
“The principles are there to serve everybody, not exclusively women and girls.
“That has never changed and my police and crime plan very clearly talks about supporting people of all genders.”
Mr Jones, whose role is set to be axed by the Government, added: “What I’ve always been clear on is that services should be available to every resident of Lincolnshire.
“It shouldn’t really be exclusive, although you’ve got to make sure that certain services are recognising the needs of the groups they’re trying to serve.
“For example, if you’ve got a domestic violence refuge, clearly you’re not going to say ‘well it doesn’t matter what gender you are, everybody can stay there’, there are some things you have to make sure they’re tailored.
“But I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to change in the overall strategy and thinking as a result.”
This comes as the government declared violence against women and girls a “national emergency” and said it’s aiming to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
It said it also wants to set up specialist rape and sexual offence investigation units in every police force in England and Wales by 2029.