Constant Vigilance - how we are tackling Violence Against Woman and Girls (VAWG)

Last week I went out on Project Vigilant in Weymouth to observe the work that Dorset Police are doing to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Project Vigilant is a proactive operation that uses both uniformed and plain-clothed officers to identify and respond to suspicious or predatory behaviour. Plain-clothed officers spot the early warning signs, while uniformed colleagues intervene where necessary, using a range of measures from advice and dispersal orders to arrest.

A key feature of this deployment was the addition of two specialist drugs dogs from Thames Valley Police, funded by my office. It was really important that I was able to help in this way and also watch the work of these incredible animals in-person.

We even saw a positive reaction from Puma, the spaniel which had joined us. He alerted his handler to a gentleman on Weymouth Esplanade. This is when our officers stepped in and performed a search of the individual and located cannabis.

The drugs’ dogs at Thames Valley Police are believed to be the only ones of their kind in the world. They are trained to detect and alert to date rape drugs, chemsex drugs and class A drugs.

The ability to detect these drugs plays a crucial role in preventing spiking incidents and protecting the public.

I am delighted to say that Rachel from the Pineapple Project also joined the patrol as an observer.

The Pineapple Project which was founded in Weymouth works to safeguard the young women living in the Dorset Council catchment area when they are outside of their family homes and in the community. 

The OPCC has previously funded The Pineapple Project and is extremely supportive of the work that it does.

Rachel explained that this was the second Project Vigilant that she had observed and the reason that she wanted to head out on patrol with the police was to see how the work they were carrying out could help influence The Pineapple Project.

She said that one of the recurring concerns that she hears from the young women that the project supports is ‘what’s the point in reporting it to the police? We don’t see anything happen.’

By joining the patrol, she was able to see the proactive work officers carry out to identify and address predatory behaviour before offences occur. She hopes to share this experience with the young women she works with, highlighting the importance of reporting incidents and demonstrating that tackling VAWG remains a key policing priority.

I want to take this moment to thank Rachel and the team at The Pineapple Project for the amazing work they do to support young women across Dorset.

I also want to outline the clear commitment that I and Dorset Police have to tackling VAWG. While Dorset is the fourth safest county in the country, I recognise it is not always safe for them, they can experience violence and discrimination, and this can have a devastating impact on lives.

It is imperative that all women and girls in Dorset are not only safe but feel safe. That is why my team and the force carry out vital work every day to ensure victims are supported and that we continue to improve our response to VAWG.

My team plays a vital role in supporting victims and driving improvements across Dorset. We commission a range of specialist services, including the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) through STARS Dorset (Sexual Trauma and Recovery Service), ensuring victims can access the specialist support they need.

We also work closely with partners to address VAWG though the VAWG Improvement Panel. The panel scrutinises and drives improvements in how violence against women and girls is identified, prevented and responded to across Dorset.

A full list of our commissioned services and projects is available here: Dorset PCC – Commissioned Projects

David Sidwick

Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset