The scale of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in East Cambridgeshire has been revealed in an exclusive investigation.
Figures obtained by the Ely Standard from Cambridgeshire Police found more than 460 crimes against women and girls were recorded in the district between 2019-23.
It follows a call to action from the National police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), which warned last week of an epidemic scale of offending after data revealed at least one in twelve females are victims of violent crime.
Responding to the figures, MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire Charlotte Cane said: "Sadly, violence against women and girls is a problem everywhere in the UK, and it is clearly a significant problem here in Cambridgeshire too.
"These figures exclude other forms of violence against women and sadly we know that many women and children do not report crimes against them, or if they report crimes they may not be taken seriously. So, we have to assume that the actual figures are even higher.
"We need to build in safety to our plans for town centres, housing and public transport. The police need to listen to women who complain of so-called low-level abuse, such as unwanted attention and ‘flashing’ and take action.
"When there are issues in particular areas, instead of simply warning women to avoid those areas we should consider changes, such as improved lighting, CCTV or more police presence to make those areas safe."
Violence against women and girls is an umbrella term used to cover a wide range of abuses against women and girls, including domestic abuse, stalking and honour-based abuse.
It was as classed as a national threat to public safety by the Home Office in February 2023 with a national framework to bring police response in line with that of counter-terrorism.
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Across Cambridgeshire, more than 7,400 crimes against women and girls were recorded during the same period, increasing from 1,341 in 2020 to more than 1,530 in 2023.
The figures, which combine rape and sexual assault crimes recorded by Cambridgeshire Police, are likely to be much higher and do not include offences such as stalking or honour-based abuse.
Deputy Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Anna Smith told the Ely Standard: "The numbers are shocking and further proof of why violence against women and girls must be viewed as an epidemic.
"We must continue to promote the White Ribbon campaign but also to change the way that domestic abuse cases are logged by police forces so we can truly understand the enormity of the issue."
Sharing her own story of domestic abuse, Cllr Smith said: "I experienced coercive control in my 20s, a form of abuse which is an aspect of this epidemic,
"The abuse was primarily based on control, and day to day it was a constant feeling that he was chipping away at me.
"It was like walking on egg shells, and I believe had we stayed together the control would have intensified to cover other elements such as my finances."
She added: "For years, I was embarrassed to speak out about my experiences. I was worried people might see me as weak and judge me for it.
"But I realised that it's important to say to other women, 'you're not alone - you're not in the wrong here'.
"Now I'm really proud to be one of those women who is prepared to stand up and say 'this happened to me'. I want other people experiencing this to know that they aren't alone, that it's not their fault and that no-one is going to judge them."
In East Cambridgeshire, crimes against women and girls have soared by 44 per cent since 2019, increasing to 108 recorded offences in 2023.
In 2019, Cambridgeshire Police recorded 48 sexual assault offences in East Cambridgeshire, which increased to 55 in 2023.
Meanwhile, the number of rapes recorded by the force in the district increased from 27 in 2019, to 53 in 2023.
Detective Superintendent Sherrie Nash said: “Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a force priority and we are working hard to keep our communities safe.
“We have dedicated teams tackling the issues and have utilised the government’s Safer Streets fund on many improvement projects, including training CCTV operators, taxi drivers and door staff to spot the signs and know how to deal with predatory behaviour, as well as delivering a long-term behaviour change campaign.
“We regularly have officers on dedicated patrols in city centres, spending time in and around bars, clubs, and areas where our communities have told us they don’t feel safe, all in an effort to make the streets of Cambridgeshire a hostile place for potential offenders.
“We are committed to improving outcomes for survivors of sexual violence through transformational change and specialist officers work closely across the county with our partners to provide support.
“There is always more work to be done and I continue to encourage women and girls to have confidence that their reports will be taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, and offenders dealt with robustly.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Daryl Preston added: “I very much welcome the Policing Statement which sets out the scale, complexity and impact on victims of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
"It builds upon the first VAWG Strategic Threat Risk Assessment 2023 which was published last year and which aimed to provide a better understanding of the influences and levers which contribute to VAWG being a national threat.
“I am committed to supporting the police and partners to take an early intervention approach to stop this kind of violence from happening in the first place. I would like to see this abhorrent crime eradicated in all its forms.
“It is absolutely vital that victims have access to support services when they need them. As Commissioner, I provide funding to a range of specialist providers who support victims and survivors of rape and sexual violence through a countywide service.
"If you or anyone you know is in need of support, please visit Cambridgeshire Victim Services website where a wide range of help and support is available.”
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