Vital Signs MK 2025 - Report - Page 9
Crime & Safety
Vital Action
Vital Question:
The Empower and Challenge Programme, launched in April
2024 by The Safety Centre, is an innovative educational
initiative designed to address and reduce the risks of
violence against women and girls (VAWG).
“Violence against women and girls is a real issue and
real concern to so many of us across the community. We
identi昀椀ed there was a real need for some early intervention
and preventative work. We were absolutely thrilled when
the MK Community Foundation were able to fund us to
kick start this project in Milton Keynes.” – Maya JosephHussain, Chief Executive O昀케cer, The Safety Centre
Supported with strategic funding from MK Community
Foundation, the programme is delivering targeted workshops
to primary and secondary school students across Milton
Keynes. Between April and October 2024, the education team
delivered 106 workshops to 3,180 students in Years 6, 7,
and 8 (ages 10-13).
These workshops provided students with the tools to identify
and challenge harmful behaviours, understand consent, and
recognise the importance of reporting inappropriate actions.
One Student re昀氀ected, “Now I know where to report things
that happen without consent.”
The programme also provided a platform for students to
connect their personal experiences with the workshop content.
One Year 7 student shared, “This was very helpful because my
sister has experienced this and never spoke up,” indicating the
importance of equipping young people with tools to seek help
and identify others.
By creating safe spaces for dialogue and empowering
young people with knowledge, the programme promotes
understanding of bodily autonomy, consent, and respectful
behaviour, contributing to a safer and more inclusive community.
“I liked that now everyone should know how to act with
decency.” – Year 7 Student
How can we challenge the myths about sexual
violence and survivors and shift attitudes
towards VAWG to create real understanding
and change?
Vital Statistics
•
There were 38,241 total crime o昀昀ences in Milton Keynes
Local Authority between Jun-2023 to May-2024, with
the overall crime rate being 130.9 per 1,000 population
(13.09%). This was higher than the average across
England of 118.1 per 1,000 population (11.81%).
•
The overall crime rate in Milton Keynes LA has increased
from 9.63% (96.3 per 1,000 people) between Sep-2018
to Aug-2019 to 13.09% (130.9 per 1,000 people) between
Jun-2023 to May-2024.
•
The most common crime in Milton Keynes, based on the
data provided for the 12-month period (June 2023 to
May 2024), is violent crime and sexual o昀昀ences, with a
rate of 52.8 incidents per 1,000 people.
•
The rate of Violent Crime and Sexual O昀昀ences has
risen by 77.2%, increasing from 29.8 per 1,000 people
(Sep 2018 – Aug 2019) to 52.8 per 1,000 people (Jun
2023 – May 2024).
•
Between 2023 – 2024, Aylesbury Vale and Milton Keynes
Sexual Assault Support Service saw 406 referrals, over
three times as many referrals compared with prepandemic levels of 125. (2019 -2020) An increase of
224.8%.
•
64% of AVSAASS work is responding to needs of Milton
Keynes residents.
•
According to data from SASSBMK, 92% of perpetrators
of sexual violence against its service users were known
to the survivor.
Vital Voice:
Violence against women and girls has been described as a national emergency, and rates of reports to Police and
requests for support from women and girls in Milton Keynes is much higher than all other areas in our region. That’s
why we urgently need to work together in partnership to address the support needs of women and girls, do more to
hold men accountable for their violent and abusive behaviour and improve women’s sense of safety in Milton Keynes.
Bekki Osborne, CEO, SAASBMK.
Vital Signs MK - 12th Edition 2025
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