CPS Wessex introduces new strategy to improve prosecutions for violence against women and girls

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Wessex is rolling out a new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy across Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Wiltshire, aiming to strengthen how abuse cases are handled and prosecuted.

The move comes amid growing concern over the scale of domestic abuse locally and an increase in prosecutions for offences such as coercive control, stalking and intentional strangulation.

According to CPS Wessex, the strategy will place greater emphasis on recognising patterns of abuse and presenting courts with the “full picture” of a victim’s experience, rather than treating incidents in isolation.

In a statement announcing the changes, published on the CPS Wessex website in November 2025, the service said the new approach would bring “a renewed focus on training, trauma-informed practices and more tailored support for victims” as part of efforts to improve justice outcomes.

Rising demand and local context

The strategy is being introduced against a backdrop of rising demand on criminal justice and support services in Hampshire.

Police recorded more than 25,800 domestic abuse incidents across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in a single year, accounting for over 16% of all recorded crime.

In Winchester, local partnership data shows that nearly one in three reported incidents involve repeat victims, with many people experiencing abuse for years before coming forward.

Referrals for domestic abuse support in Winchester have also increased, with the majority of those seeking help reporting emotional abuse and coercive control, alongside rising reports of physical violence.

CPS Wessex data reflects these trends.

Charges for intentional strangulation, stalking and controlling or coercive behaviour are on the rise across the region, and nearly a quarter of rape-flagged cases are linked to domestic abuse.

As of June 2025, 79.2% of domestic abuse-flagged cases prosecuted by CPS Wessex resulted in a conviction.

National strategy shaped by victims’ experiences

The regional changes form part of the CPS’s national VAWG Strategy 2025–2030, published earlier this year.

In the strategy document, the CPS says its approach has been “informed and shaped by consultation with victims, prosecutors, criminal justice partners, academics, and community and voluntary sector organisations”.

It adds that the CPS must respond to “the complex and often overlapping layers of abuse that victims experience”, including psychological harm, control, threats and escalation over time — not just single criminal acts.

The strategy commits to a “suspect-centric, victim-focused and trauma-informed” approach to prosecutions, supported by new guidance and specialist training for prosecutors.

What it means for Hampshire communities

CPS Wessex says the strategy should lead to more consistent decision-making, better handling of complex abuse cases and increased confidence for victims in the justice process.

The service has stressed that the strategy is not just about increasing charges, but about “getting the right outcomes” by ensuring victims are supported and their experiences are properly understood.

The VAWG strategy will be delivered over five years, with progress monitored nationally and locally as part of the CPS’s commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.