New alliance launched to tackle violence against women and girls across Buckinghamshire
The partnership will see 11 charities and third sector organisations working in collaboration to better address growing needs
A ground-breaking coalition aimed at addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG) has launched across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to address growing needs.
The newly formed VAWG Alliance brings together 11 third-sector organisations to provide more effective support for survivors and advocate for change in how such violence is addressed.
The Alliance, formed in June 2024, is made up of charities and organisations that specialise in supporting survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, forced marriage, trafficking, and other forms of violence.
It was created to address growing frustrations over the lack of input they had in strategic decisions led by police and other statutory bodies.
Beki Osborne, CEO of the Sexual Assault and Abuse Support Service Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes (SAASSBMK), was a key driving force behind the Alliance’s creation.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, she said: "I was becoming a bit sick and tired of being in these multi-agency spaces where it was being led by police or other statutory bodies.
"Those of us working with survivors had very little input into the strategic direction around what we’re doing to support our communities.
"I reached out to sector partners to meet regularly, discuss the issues we’re seeing, and collectively respond."
By uniting these organisations, the Alliance hopes to create a more holistic response to the needs of survivors while holding statutory bodies accountable for their actions.
"We’ve all got different approaches to working with our communities," Ms Osborne said. "But collectively we can holistically respond to the issues we’re seeing."
"We can also hold police and other statutory partners more accountable because we can collectively respond to changes in our area."
The Alliance is made up of a diverse group of organisations, including Aylesbury Women’s Aid, MK:Act, Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Service South Buckinghamshire, and Wycombe Women’s Aid, among others.
Each organisation brings its own specialisms, with some focusing on education and training while others provide direct support to survivors.
This diversity allows the Alliance to address the full spectrum of issues related to VAWG.
One of its first major achievements has been the launch of a new website, www.vawgalliance.org.uk, designed to simplify access to support services for survivors and those affected by violence.
Ms Osborne said: "We know it can be really confusing about who to go to for what support.
"This website makes it really simple for people—one place where you can find the right support at the right time, regardless of where you live or what kind of violence you’ve experienced."
The Alliance has already begun demonstrating the power of collective action. During this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign, the member organisations pooled their resources to create a unified social media campaign.
Ms Osborne said this saved time and effort for the overstretched organisations, allowing them to focus more energy on directly supporting survivors.
"We’re all poorly resourced, we’re all really stretched, and we’re all seeing the highest levels of demand we’ve ever seen," she added. "Pooling our resources for the campaign saved us a huge amount of time and effort that we could better focus on survivors."
The Alliance’s broader mission is to shift the narrative around addressing VAWG, ensuring survivors’ voices are at the centre of strategic decisions.
Ms Osborne said: "As specialist organisations, we’re uniquely placed to listen to survivors and be led by their needs in ways that statutory bodies can’t."
Lynne Cumming, Head of Operations at FlagDV, said: "By combining our unique insights and expertise, we stand together as a unified voice, advocating for both survivors and the services that support them. Our mission is to stand firmly against those who perpetuate abuse, improve services, and ultimately eradicate violence."
For more information about the Alliance or to access support services, visit www.vawgalliance.org.uk.