(MPA) MPA Domestic Violence Board expands remit to take on Sexual Violence

The MPA Domestic Violence Board is formally expanding its remit and oversight responsibilities to include sexual violence and will re-launch as the Domestic and Sexual Violence Board on 3 April 2009.

Cindy Butts, MPA member and chair of the Board said:

"This is an exciting and challenging step forward. I hope we will have the same success with supporting the development of the MPS response to sexual violence as the Board achieved with domestic abuse. We will support partnership work across the MPS to ensure safety for victims and increase public confidence that domestic and sexual violence will be dealt with most seriously by the MPS.

"Like so many areas of criminal activity, it is only by working in partnership and learning from each other's experiences of what actually works on the ground can we really tackle this brutal crime and make a real and lasting difference for victims."

The Board will perform a key role in supporting and scrutinising the MPA as it prepares to move the Sapphire Teams which investigate sexual violence into one central command. The Board is also the independent mechanism by which the MPA monitors and scrutinises the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) performance in tackling these crimes.

Commander Mark Simmons, of the MPS Violent Crime Unit, said;

"The Board has played an important role in assisting the Met in improving service delivery and holding perpetrators accountable in relation to domestic violence. I look forward to continuing the relationship in the wider and critically important arena of violence against women"

The MPA Domestic and Sexual Violence Board is developing in tandem with the upcoming Mayoral London Violence against Women Strategy. The Board will also ensure any issues resulting from the National Violence against Women Strategy are integrated fully into police practice.

The Board requests Borough Operational Command Units to report their response to domestic and sexual violence within their borough, and invites guests and professionals from the community to facilitate open discussion of local issues. It also brings together national and pan-London organisations such as the Crown Prosecution Service, Greater London Authority, the Havens and Greater London Domestic Violence Project in order to harness their specialist knowledge and expertise.

The Board also focuses on specific policy areas annually - last year topics included disproportionality and child protection.