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Major summit to drive next phase of action tackling Violence Against Women and Girls

MORE than 80 specialists and professionals from across Merseyside, united yesterday for a major summit, hosted by the Region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, to drive forward the next phase of work to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

The VAWG Professionals Summit 2026, convened by PCC Emily Spurrell, brought together experts from across policing and prosecution, local authorities, health, education, and the voluntary and community sector to help develop the next strategy to make our Region safer for women and girls.

The event was designed to build on a summit held four years ago to inform the first Working in partnership to tackle Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Delivery Plan and provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress since its launch in November 2022, while identifying the priorities and actions needed to go further.

Held with support from Professor Zara Quigg, from Liverpool John Moores University Public Health Institute, the summit focused on sharing best practice, strengthening partnership working, and identifying where improvements are needed to deliver better outcomes for victims and survivors.

Through a series of workshops and discussions, partners explored key issues to drive change, including how organisations can intervene earlier to prevent harm, tackle misogyny and emerging forms of abuse, and ensure a stronger, whole-system response to VAWG. Sessions also examined how partner organisations can work more effectively together to hold perpetrators to account and improve justice outcomes.

Feedback from the summit will directly inform the development of Merseyside’s refreshed VAWG strategy, ensuring it reflects the expertise of professionals across the Region and is rooted in the lived experiences of victims and survivors.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- “There is an epidemic of violence facing women and girls in our society and while we have made important progress over the last 4 years, we know there is still much more to do. I am incredibly grateful to all the dedicated professionals who joined us for this important summit. Their knowledge, experience and commitment are vital as we shape the next phase of our response to VAWG across Merseyside. Today’s event was an opportunity to reflect honestly on what has been achieved over the past 4 years, recognise the challenges we continue to face, and agree how we go further and do more, together." 

She continued:- "We have seen stronger collaboration, increased investment in support services and new initiatives to tackle perpetrators, but victims and survivors are clear; we must continue to improve. Their voices remain at the heart of everything we do. This summit was about listening, learning and taking action. The insights we gathered will help shape a refreshed strategy which focuses not just on activity, but on delivering real, lasting outcomes for women and girls. Violence against women and girls is not inevitable;it is preventable. By working together with determination and ambition, we can be a force for change and make our Region safer for everyone.”

Professor Zara Quigg from LJMU’s Public Health Institute said:- “Across Merseyside, we are seeing a great deal of dedicated, innovative work to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, which is already making a positive difference to people’s lives.Critically, we need to intervene early, and work with families, schools and young people to build healthy relationships and address misogyny from an early age, and we must confront the emerging challenge of technology that present threats such as online bullying and misogyny. With the right support and evidenced based practice, we can build on this solid foundation and deliver lasting improvements for our communities”.

Merseyside Police, Assistant Chief Constable, Andy Ryan said:- “Violence against women and girls has a devastating impact on victims, families and communities, and tackling it remains 1 of our highest priorities. Events like this summit are vital in strengthening the partnerships we rely on to prevent harm, protect those at risk and pursue offenders. Merseyside Police is absolutely determined to tackle VAWG in all its forms, and we know we can only do that effectively by working alongside our partners across health, education, local authorities and the voluntary sector. By sharing insight, challenging ourselves and taking a whole-system approach, we can drive meaningful change. We have made important progress, but we are not complacent. We are committed to improving how we respond to victims and survivors, bringing perpetrators to justice, and building the trust and confidence of our communities. Together, we will continue to do everything we can to make Merseyside a safer place for women and girls.”

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