Executive summary
Summary of findings
Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) continues to be a critical public health issue which drives inequality and long-term consequences for those affected. This needs assessment presents an overview of VAWG, and the impact it has in Camden. It draws on extensive stakeholder engagement, data analysis, existing provision, and a review of policy and best practice.
VAWG is a multi-faceted and complex issue. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by violence and abuse of multiple forms, usually at the hands of men or the system. The full definition of VAWG is set out in Chapter 1 of this report. While the intention was to assess every element of VAWG within this report, the limited data for and systemic understanding of certain aspects of VAWG (e.g. forced marriage, online abuse, and stalking) means this report primarily reports on domestic violence and abuse (DVA).
In preparing this report, it was clear from the outset that the local authority and its partners are deeply committed to tackling VAWG and DVA. We recognise and greatly appreciate the dedication, expertise, and hard work of the many individuals and teams involved in this area. This report is not intended as a judgement on the work undertaken to date, but rather as a constructive contribution to ongoing efforts. While the focus here is on identifying challenges, gaps, and opportunities for improvement, this should be considered in the context of – and alongside – the significant progress and commitment already demonstrated.
This needs assessment is closely aligned with Camden’s strategic priorities and work to date, including the We Make Camden[1] vision and Community Safety Partnership Action Plan[2]. The local authority recognises the importance of a holistic approach beyond its statutory responsibilities to address VAWG in the borough, and that working in partnership is the most effective way to achieve this.
VAWG is not unique to Camden, however, the borough’s population, geography, and vast number of services, local institutions, and community groups provides both challenges and opportunities to act to reduce and respond to VAWG preventatively and reactively in a collaborative manner. While there are still areas of partnership working and preventative work that can be improved, there are also examples of positive and successful projects and partnerships in Camden from training to support services to campaigns.
Taking a public health approach to VAWG and conducting a needs assessment not only provides a comprehensive understanding of the related needs to inform strategy and service development but also illustrates and acknowledges the complexities of the issue. Underpinning the approach to this needs assessment and the public health approach is prevention at a population or system level. Therefore, the needs assessment seeks to identify the factors which can increase someone’s risk of being affected by VAWG, and being affected negatively more than others, as well as what protects someone from VAWG and its effects. Identifying the issues and understanding the data and evidence can inform strategy and service development to have the most impact and, perhaps most importantly, understand how prevention and earlier intervention can be successful and therefore prevent harm. The evidence shows that prevention is the best and most impactful opportunity to reduce and prevent VAWG. While it must be recognised that this has to be balanced with the more urgent need to provide support to those currently experiencing VAWG and its effects, and resourcing appropriately for this, failing to resource and develop preventative programmes and work will lead to an ongoing cycle and limit the impact that can be had at scale.
In addition to focusing on prevention, the public health approach seeks to understand the short and long-term impact of an issue, including across generations and social behaviours. Therefore, this needs assessment has considered children to be equal victim/survivors to adults, which is also in line with legal definitions and guidance, and explore the impact of VAWG across generations (e.g. people who have experienced DVA as a child is more likely to be in an abusive relationship when they are adults).
The key findings described in this needs assessment include the high prevalence of DVA in Camden, the intersection of VAWG with housing and financial insecurity as well as mental health and social complexity, and the systemic barriers faced by victim/survivors. Victim/Survivors from marginalised communities or who have multiple needs including mental health or substance use face additional barriers to access support. Furthermore, there is little long-term support for victim/survivors, especially when the immediate risk of violence has ended, even though the psychological, emotional, and physical impact can be life-long.
When examining the local picture of VAWG through quantitative evidence, specific trends within Camden begin to emerge. It is important to note, however, that quantitative data offers only a partial view. To build a truly holistic understanding of VAWG, both quantitative and qualitative evidence must be considered together. Moreover, the quantitative data presented here reflects only those incidents that are formally recorded and therefore does not capture the full extent of women and girls’ experiences.
With that in mind, data from Metropolitan Police Service indicated Camden’s 2024 VAWG rate was 29 VAWG offences per 1,000 female residents. This is above the rest of London, ranking Camden 11th highest across London. The majority of recorded VAWG offences are concentrated within DVA, stalking and harassment and sexual violence. Since 2020 to 2023, Camden witnessed an 8.2% increase in VAWG offences, significantly above the rest of London, which saw a 5.7% increase. Despite this, as a proportion of all crimes within the borough, 8% are related to VAWG. When disseminating by VAWG abuse types, sexual violence stands out as significantly higher than the rest of London, as does stalking and harassment, physical and sexual abuse and violent of threatening behaviour, whilst DVA rates were lower.
While Camden records a high rate of VAWG offences, the true scale is likely underestimated due to underreporting and inconsistent data recording. Internal services such as Adult Social Care, Camden Safety Net, and Children Safeguarding and Social Work identify significant volumes of abuse, particularly DVA, yet police data shows lower proportions, suggesting gaps in formal reporting. Victim withdrawal is a major barrier to justice, especially in DVA and coercive control cases, and younger and older women appear less likely to progress through support pathways despite being high-risk groups. Housing and homelessness data show a sharp rise and identification in DVA-related applications, and Camden’s Adult Pathway research highlights severe unmet need among homeless women.
Across services, poor data completeness, especially for protected characteristics like disability, gender reassignment, sex, and ethnicity, limits the ability to assess equity and unmet need. Definitions of VAWG vary between services, and recording systems are inconsistent, making cross-service analysis difficult. The introduction of the CONNECT system in 2024 also disrupted crime recording, complicating year-on-year comparisons. These limitations underscore the need for improved data quality, shared definitions, and integrated systems to build a more accurate and actionable picture of VAWG in Camden.
In order to reflect the lived experience of victim/survivors and the professionals who work with them, multiple insight gathering sessions and focus groups were conducted as part of this needs assessment. These conversations revealed that while some victim/survivors receive life-changing support, others have to overcome significant barriers to accessing services including fragmented services, re-traumatisation, and institutional mistrust or judgement. Therefore, the importance of a holistic, collaborative, and trauma-informed approach to working with victim/survivors was raised multiple times by victim/survivors and professionals.
Professionals who participated also noted how short-term funding for posts and programmes, service gaps, and a need to improve coordination across organisations and services can all impact the support a victim/survivor receives as well as negatively impacting the staff attempting to support them. Due to these issues often services are unable to meet demand, staff hold on to cases for longer than they should, and the emotional toll of not being able to get victim/survivors the support they need can result in staff burnout and turnover.
As well as reflecting the current need, this needs assessment demonstrates the existing provision for victim/survivors, perpetrators, and professionals. As shown in Chapter 4, Camden has a number of services, policies, and partnerships working to address VAWG which show how seriously the local authority is taking the issue. The services available in the borough provide crucial and impactful support, with professionals and stakeholders often sharing how positive their experience has been when working with them. However, there is still work to do to fill the gaps in provision as well as ensuring services are able to meet demand and adequately assess and respond to risk.
This needs assessment will support the development of Camden’s local strategy and service provision over the coming years. While regional and national VAWG policies and strategies are being updated at the time of writing, each local authority faces its own unique context, challenges, and priorities. It is therefore essential that Camden develops a strategy rooted in a clear understanding of local needs, ensuring that interventions are evidence-based and responsive to the lived experiences of its communities. We would like to thank all colleagues, stakeholders, partners, providers, and victim/survivors who generously shared their time, knowledge, experiences, and suggestions to inform this important work.
Summary of recommendations
The recommendations included in this needs assessment are intended to inform the development of a local VAWG strategy. Therefore, while the recommendations in Chapter 6 share examples of specific actions, they focus on the issues that need to be addressed or good practice that could be expanded. The high-level recommendations reflect evidence reviewed, and the themes that emerged from both our quantitative and qualitative research. In considering these recommendations, it is important to view them in the context of building on our existing initiatives and approaches, while also recognising the realities of public sector and local authority delivery, including limited resources. These are a summary of our high-level recommendations. For detailed recommendations please see Chapter 6.
Public health approach
Having a comprehensive strategy that considers prevention; earlier intervention by system/professions; response/support, perpetrator accountability/programmes and intergenerational cycle breaking to stop violence
Alongside robust responses to VAWG, invest in early action to prevent DVA and VAWG, including schools/education, community engagement, and earlier identification and intervention by the system/professional, including with perpetrators. Ensure intergenerational transmission of trauma, risk and behaviour is considered and addressed in strategic planning and response.
Data and evidence
Improving insights, data and monitoring
Strengthen the collection, integration, and use of VAWG data and insights to build a shared evidence base that drives effective prevention, response, and partnership working.
Support gaps
Whole-journey support for all victim/survivors
Ensure tailored, consistent support for victim/survivors of DVA and other forms of VAWG from first disclosure through to long-term recovery, regardless of risk level or complexity of need, including post-separation abuse. Explore and address gaps in identification and support for other, often hidden forms of abuse such as ‘honour-based’ abuse.
Mental Health
Trauma-informed mental health and wellbeing
Expand accessible, culturally competent mental health services that are informed by the impacts of VAWG including DVA, sexual violence, and coercive control, and address co-occurring needs.
Children’s support
Protection and recovery for children affected by abuse
Recognise children as direct victims of DVA and provide sustained, trauma-informed support across education, health, and family services. Give consideration also to wider forms of violence against women and girls, including often hidden forms such as ‘honour-based’ abuse.
Housing and benefits
Safe, secure, and appropriate housing
Increase availability and quality of safe accommodation and housing pathways that meets the needs of women and children, reduces disruption, and supports recovery. Efforts are made to use Alternative Payment Arrangements to help reduce financial control and/or rent arrears.
Acknowledgements
This report was led by the Health and Wellbeing team. We would like to thank colleagues across Camden Council, our VCSE partners, and - most importantly - people with lived experience who contributed data, insights and reflections. Although led by Health and Wellbeing, the report was a collaborative effort, compiled through the contributions of teams across the Council who led or provided input into specific sections. We are especially grateful to our data specialists and all those who offered their expertise, review, and feedback ahead of publication.
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