Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

Violence Against Women and Girls is a national emergency. Combining innovative research with a survivor-led approach, NatCen aspires to be a leading voice in VAWG prevention and legislative reform.  To learn more, contact Emma Jones.

Our work

Our Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) research aims to explore the drivers and impacts of gender-based violence. By using evidence-based research, our ambition is to promote policies and laws that ensure the dignity, rights, and safety of every woman and girl in the UK. 

WeCops: Online Harm

In July 2024, NatCen hosted an online forum on X on the topic of Violence Against Women and Girls. Police officers, academics, journalists and victim-survivors joined the conversation around perpetrator behaviour, risk assessment procedures, and current barriers to policing. 

On Line Harm blog 3/7/24 By Tulika Chakraborty and Emma Jones (NatCen) | wecops.uk/

Towards a new DASH 

We are looking to develop and evaluate a new risk assessment for domestic abuse which places greater emphasis on coercive control, and the online manifestations of abuse. The research aims to evaluate the efficacy of the current DASH risk assessment and, through consultation with police officers, academics, domestic abuse champions, and victim-survivors, identify gaps and areas of improvement.

By developing a new risk assessment, we hope to improve trust within the criminal justice system and encourage more victim-survivors to come forward, reduce domestic violence related homicides, achieve more convictions, and ultimately prevent domestic abuse in all its forms. 

Live research

St Giles embedded mentoring model (2024) 

The St Giles embedded mentoring model is an early intervention, prevention, and aspiration support programme delivered in schools. The programme provides targeted support to students involved in crime, youth violence or exploitation, and is delivered in schools by mentors with lived experience of the criminal justice system. NatCen are running a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) and Impact Process Evaluation (IPE) to compare the impact of the mentoring programme against pastoral care as usual; and how that reduces violence offending amongst children and young people. We are also looking at the wider impacts on academic performance and social behaviour. More information about the project can be found here: St-Giles-Evaluation-Protocol-Mar-24.pdf (youthendowmentfund.org.uk).