1.42 Addressing police-perpetrated domestic violence: A process evaluation

Academic team: Dr Emma Williams (CPRL, OU), Dr Nicky Miller (CPRL, OU), and Dr Clare Rawdin (CPRL, OU). The Principal Investigator is Dr Sarah Wallace (Senior Research Fellow, University of South Wales)
Policing partners: South Wales Police, Gwent Police
Status: Complete

Following a number of high-profile cases, police perpetrated domestic abuse is a key issue within contemporary policing and connects to wider debates over trust and legitimacy. This project will investigate an initiative to support victim-survivors of police-perpetrated domestic abuse. The intervention consists of a two-year advocacy support programme which is being delivered by regional domestic abuse charities in two Welsh police force area (Gwent and South Wales). 

Our involvement extends to developing a 'Theory of Change' for the intervention through workshops with key policing stakeholders. This will help to explain how the advocacy service works. Additionally, we are conducting interviews with relevant  stakeholders and victim-survivors to gain their perspectives on the intervention. 

The project's overall aims are to inform the evidence-base relating to interventions in the domestic abuse area, while also enabling shared learning within and beyond the two featured police force areas.   

The process evaluation has now been completed and the outputs results from the research are available below.  There is a final report, together with an Executive Summary and a slide pack summing up the key findings which was presented at a recent conference of the All-Wales Police Academic Collaboration.

Outputs

TitleOutputs typeLead academicYear
Addressing police perpetrated violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV): A process evaluationFinal reportOsbourne, E2024
Addressing police perpetrated violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV): A process evaluationPowerPointWallace, S2024
Addressing police perpetrated violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV): A process evaluationVideoOsbourne, E2024
Addressing police perpetrated violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV): A process evaluationKey findings 2024

News

CPRL CPD programme sets new benchmark for investigative excellence

The States of Jersey Police recently completed a transformative Continued Professional Development (CPD) programme that is setting a new benchmark in investigative excellence and fostering increased public confidence in law enforcement. 

Designed and delivered by Ian McNeill, Senior Lecturer in CPD Development in Policing at the Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL) at the Open University, the programme was developed in collaboration with the Operation Soteria Joint Unit and academics from across all six pillars of the Operation Soteria national programme.

28th April 2025