A NEW strategy to address violence against women and girls across North Yorkshire and York has been published by North Yorkshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe.

She promised to prioritise this issue and, when she was elected last November, launched a complete review of how acts of violence or abuse that disproportionately affect women or girls are dealt with across North Yorkshire and York.

She said: “North Yorkshire and York is, statistically speaking, a safe place. But we should never forget that numbers in a spreadsheet do not tell the full story. There are still too many victims - women and girls who need to have their voices heard, who need to be confident there is a justice system that will believe them, and a network of help that supports them, builds their confidence and helps them rebuild their lives.

The new strategy sets out a collective commitment from groups and organisations across the area,

Objectives include: Ensure all women and girls are listened to; tackle root causes of violence against women and girls with prevention and early intervention; strengthen partnerships so we work together; enhance support for victims and survivors and invest in early intervention to identify and stop potential offenders.