The voices of survivors sit at the heart of a new ending violence against women and girls' strategy co-produced by Kingston Council in partnership with Kingston Women's Hub.

Women from the hub's survivor's forum, part of the Voices of Hope charity, worked with the council to develop the strategy, giving individuals with lived experience of violence and abuse the opportunity to engage with professionals to help shape and improve local services and approaches.

The council's Community Safety team and members of the survivor's forum presented the new strategy to the People Committee yesterday, Tuesday, 11 March.

The strategy outlines four key co-produced objectives: to support survivors, to support children and young people, to hold perpetrators to account, and to show that violence against women and girls is everyone's business. 

It sets out how Kingston Council works collaboratively with the police, partners and the voluntary sector to provide support, raise awareness, and tackle violence and abuse aimed at women and girls in our borough. 

Councillor Sabah Hamed, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: "Working with survivors to learn how we can take effective action to end violence against women and girls, design effective support services and hold perpetrators to account and has been an incredibly powerful experience. 

 "It is only by working together with people with lived experience of violence and abuse, as well as with partners and local communities that we can continue to make Kingston a safer place for all."

The Survivor's Forum meets up every six weeks to ensure the voices of survivors are heard and incorporated into the local services.

 It has been an integral part of the production of the strategy and will continue to work closely with the council to have oversight of the actions plan.

Tracy, a member of the Survivors Forum said: "Having a voice and being included in making decisions that will benefit others is a good feeling.

"Helping to make a difference, to make things better for others and, being part of the Survivors Forum and Voices of Hope has given me more confidence and self-worth."

Another member, Maddie said: "Through Voices of Hope I was able to join the forum, where we helped to co-produce the Kingston Council's policy for helping those experiencing violence against women and girls.

"This opportunity has been very empowering, as I feel that what was a difficult and negative experience in my past, is now becoming positive in that I can help women and girls experiencing such violence now and in the future."

You can read the full Kingston Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2025-2030 on the council's website.

You can learn more about all of Kingston's work to end violence against women and girls here. 

An update on the Safer Kingston Partnership Plan was also presented at the People Committee to summarise the progress and next steps in delivering its priorities for 2025-2026.

You can read the full Safer Kingston Partnership Plan 2024-2029 on the council's website.