Last month, Chief Executive of Leeds Women’s Aid, Nik Peasgood, was presented with the Assistant Chief Constable Commendation for her efforts in tackling violence against women and girls.
Nik Peasgood co-chairs the police Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) Independent Advisory Board, which acts as a scrutiny body for the police’s actions against Violence Against Women and Girls strategy. The board have won a regional award at the national policing VAWG awards, and have been nominated for this year’s West Yorkshire Policing Awards.
The commendation reads:
“In recognition of your commitment, dedication, and shared passion to collaborate with West Yorkshire Police and its community members to drive change in policy and practices to improve the response to Violence Against Women and Girls. Your dedication to delivering this innovative project is credit to your commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.”
Nik Peasgood, said:
“I am delighted to receive the commendation, it is an acknowledgement of Leeds Women’s Aid’s resolve to work closely with the authorities to drive real change, build trust and improve outcomes for victim-survivors.
“Many victim-survivors have mixed experiences of the police, so it’s extremely valuable to have a forum to share Leeds Women’s Aid’s decades of expertise to educate the police and be an advocate for women and girls. Through this group we are also able to meet regulatory with the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe, OBE.
“It is important for victim-survivors to understand that although we work with the authorities, we are a separate entity and by seeking our support, you are not making a police report. If you need confidential support or advice, please call our 24hr helpline on 0113 246 0401.”
Leeds Women’s Aid is also the lead partner in Leeds Domestic Violence Service, which delivers the Domestic Violence and Abuse Voices Project – a group of victim-survivors that meet regularly meet to share experiences and insights to develop domestic abuse services in the city. The group recently had a chance to meet with West Yorkshire Police with the aim of improving how responses to domestic abuse situations are handled by the police.
One of the victim-survivors said:
“We feel we are important part of the process to learn lessons, we want to help and work with the police and we are pleased that this will be an ongoing process. As a women’s group, the opportunity to share our experience is invaluable, reassuring and empowering, as we now have a voice.”
Since working with the Voices Project, West Yorkshire Police have begun to implement real changes including increasing the number of perpetrators remanded in custody and increasing the use of Clare’s Law to disclose information to a victim-survivor or potential victim-survivor of domestic abuse about their partner’s or ex-partner’s previous abusive or violent offending.
For more information about domestic violence or abuse or to live chat with the Leeds Women’s Aid team, visit the Leeds Women’s Aid website: www.leedswomensaid.co.uk
To learn more about the Voices Project, email Nicola Marlow at NicolaM@ldvs.uk
This post is based on a press release issued by Leeds Women’s Aid
Photo: Nik Peasgood with Chief Constable John Robins
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