Serious violence
Our definition of serious violence is guided by the London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) definition of violence.
The legislation provides that, for the purposes of the Serious Violence Duty, serious violence includes domestic abuse, sexual offences, violence against property and threats of violence but does not include terrorism.
Understanding serious violence
Our agreed definition of serious violence is:
Any violence including domestic abuse, sexual violence, knife enabled crime and gun enabled crime. Within the context of these types of violence, it encompasses homicide, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault, personal robbery, threats to kill and violence against property caused during the commission of one of these offences. With a specific focus on violence and exploitation affecting young people under the age of 25.
(Domestic Abuse Act 2021)
The reason that we decided to include all ages within the borough definition is because our data supports that serious harm and violence affects all ages within the borough.
Serious Violence Duty
On 31 January 2023 the Serious Violence Duty commenced under the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSCA 2022). This includes statutory requirements in relation to the response to and prevention of serious violence.
The Duty emphasises the importance of understanding the drivers and impacts of serious violence, and a focus on prevention and early intervention.
It was introduced in the context of an increase in violence over the last decade and the impacts this has on victims and their families.
Duty holders include:
- Local authorities
- Metropolitan Police
- Youth Offending Teams
- Integrated Care System
- Probation
- London Fire Brigade
Due to the national focus, the London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is leading on the coordination and delivery of the duty across the 32 London boroughs. The VRU have outlined the statutory actions needed to meet the requirements of the Duty. These statutory actions include the creation of the Violence Strategic Needs Assessment and the Violence Strategic Delivery Plan.
Statutory actions must be reported on and submitted to the VRU by end of financial year 2025/26.
Serious Violence Needs Assessment
The Violence Strategic Needs Assessment includes analysis of data from various sources.
Most of the results from the data and analysis do not tell us anything new which is positive as we already have work in place targeted in the areas or times of day.
Partners who have engaged with the needs assessment:
- Metropolitan Police
- Childrens Services
- Adult Social Care
- Public Health England - Substance Misuse
- Probation Services
- London Ambulance Service
- Accident & Emergency
- British Transport Police
- NHS – St. George’s Hospital
The full Violence Strategic Needs Assessment will not be published on our website due to the amount of sensitive data it contains. However, the needs assessment has contributed to the Violence Reduction Action Plan and will be used to direct future funding and resources over the next year.
Violence Reduction Action Plan
The London VRU have provided a Strategic Delivery Plan template which we have worked with partners to complete.
The mandatory actions provided by the VRU are split into 8 main themes.
- Governance
- Analysis and enforcement
- Reducing access to weapons
- Safeguarding and educating children and young people
- Working with communities and neighbourhoods to reduce violence
- Supporting victims of violence and vulnerability
- Positive diversion from violence
- Tackling violence against women and girls
Section 8 is a new theme, bringing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) into the definition. We have met this action by completing our own VAWG needs assessment and VAWG Strategy which will be overseen by the Strategic VAWG delivery board.
We did not complete a Serious Violence Strategy as we agreed with MOPAC that this will be part of the Community Safety Partnership Strategy 2024-27 which will be published later in the year.
We have published the required actions tab of the Violence Reduction Action Plan.
What we are doing
Service provisions for serious violence.
Wandsworth Communities Against Violence Forum
The Wandsworth Communities Against Violence Forum is a community facing forum, working with the wider Wandsworth CSP on violence. This is to provide a platform for community members and organisations addressing violent crime to come together and discuss issues and solutions around services, projects, and responses to violent crimes in the borough.
The MPS and Local Authority have standing agenda items to provide updates. The Forum is administrated by the Community Safety Service (serving both Richmond and Wandsworth) and chaired by a democratically elected community representative.
Register to join the next forum
Wandsworth Communities Against Violence Forum Project Pot
The Community Safety Service, through the Wandsworth Communities Against Violence Forum and supported by the VRU MyEnds Partnership Fund, provides funding opportunities for community organisations, local groups, and statutory partners working collaboratively with residents. These initiatives are designed to reduce violence within Wandsworth’s identified hotspot areas through sustainable, community-led projects that strengthen local engagement and enhance prevention, intervention, and response strategies.
Please be advised that all available funding for the current financial year has now been fully allocated to support local organisations. We will announce details of the next funding round once it becomes available for the upcoming financial year.
Wandsworth Community Trauma Support Service
The Community Safety Service are commissioning the Wandsworth Bereavement Service (WBS) to deliver a three-tier therapeutic support service through the Community Trauma Support Service (CTSS). This service provides tailored immediate therapeutic support to individuals in the community who have been bereaved or directly affected by the trauma and impact of violent crime.
Learnings from previous critical incidents in the borough revealed a gap in immediate therapeutic support for those impacted by violence. In response, the CTSS was introduced as part of a pilot project to support the borough’s critical incident response. Due to its success during the pilot phase, the service has now been extended, with long-term support integrated into the overall offer.
Pathways 2 Progression (P2P)
This project is delivered within the community, in PRU settings, and at HMP Wandsworth aiming to:
- Reduce anti-social, harmful, and offending behaviour among individuals 18 to 35, economically inactive, at risk of custody, and serious violence
- Reduce the risk of conflict, serious further offense, and economic inactivity among service users aged 18 to 35 in custody, for example, HMP Wandsworth
- Increase young people’s self-worth, awareness of risky behaviours, ability to handle challenges, and trust in parents and teachers
P2P Prison-Based Intervention Programme: referral-based provision taking referrals from strategic partners, e.g. Probation, Youth Justice, IOM, SW BCU Gangs Team, HMP Wandsworth, Self-referrals and MARVE Panel.
- Providing physical or virtual personal and social development and conflict mediation skills (S.E.E.D.) group sessions twice a week, 1-to-1 coaching to achieve personal and professional goals twice a week, and weekly through-the-gate support upon release
P2P “Supporting Our Youth” Project: referral-based provision taking referrals from strategic partners, including the relevant Committees, Forums & Panels, Youth Service, Youth Justice, Looked After Young People, Police, Probation, Schools and Self-referrals.
- Providing weekly adaptable workshops over 43 weeks across two Francis Barber PRU sites, focusing on social and economic competencies such as decision-making, emotional regulation, and conflict mediation, facilitated by trained practitioners in safe and supportive school environments.
Fearless Campaign
Fearless is the youth brand of Crimestoppers and is aimed at educating and empowering young people aged 11-17 years old to use the anonymous reporting service. Fearless also work with young people and partners including schools, youth groups, and PRUs to deliver workshops to young people.
The aims of the campaign are to make a positive impact on young peoples’ lives by working collaboratively with the local authorities and partners to raise awareness of crimes and the consequences of crime and criminal activity.
The campaign also aims to deliver information sessions to youth professionals from different sectors in the borough to spread the Fearless message to the young people they work with.
The campaign has been altered for the specific needs of the Wandsworth borough.
You can find out more about the Fearless Campaign.
Wandsworth Youth Bus
The VRU MyEnds Partnership Fund part-funds the Wandsworth Youth Bus, which is run by Children’s Service. The youth bus operates in targeted hyper-local areas across the borough, engaging young people through activities such as arts and crafts, music, sports, and bleed kit training. It also functions as a one-stop hub for sexual health resources and broader support services.
You can find out more information on the youth bus schedule.
Knife Amnesty Bins
As part of ongoing efforts to tackle knife crime, the two pilot knife amnesty bins in Wandsworth, located outside Roehampton Library and St George’s Hospital (Atkinson Morley Wing), have now been renewed. The Roehampton bin has been upgraded to a larger unit, funded by Wandsworth Council, to better accommodate community needs.
The initiative continues to be delivered in partnership with Word 4 Weapons, the charity currently commissioned to manage this work.
- You can find the exact locations of all knife bins in Wandsworth
- Read GOV.UK's How to surrender: Guidance for surrender of ‘zombie-style’ knives and ‘zombie-style’ machetes and claiming compensation
Community Safety Service Provisions – Neighbourhoods
Wandsworth has seven Community Safety Officers (CSOs), each assigned to specific wards across the borough. These officers deliver targeted interventions in areas affected by crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB), while actively engaging with local communities and victims.
A dedicated Community Safety Support Officer works closely with the Alton Estate to provide a coordinated approach throughout the regeneration programme’s phases.
Additionally, Wandsworth Council has funded one Anti-Social Behaviour Manager and three Community Safety Anti-Social Behaviour Officers until 31 March 2027 to deliver a coordinated partnership approach in our response to crime and ASB issues in the North Battersea area.
Violence Delivery Strategic Group
The Violence Strategic Delivery Group is a quarterly meeting, which oversees the Wandsworth Community Safety Partnership priorities 'to deliver a co-ordinated approach to tackling violence' and 'keeping our children and young people safe'. Our focus is on prevention, early intervention, and tackling root causes through coordinated action. It brings together key partners including the Police, Integrated Care Board, Probation, Children’s Services, Education, Housing, and others.
Area Based Problem Solving Plans
Problem solving plans are developed as part of a multi-agency response to emerging, or current hotspots.
Community Safety Officers coordinate problem solving plans through task and finish groups in which the relevant agencies share information, identify issues and set/monitor actions.
Serious violence project pictures
Images from projects and events supported by the Council across the borough, highlighting proactive and reactive efforts to reduce and prevent serious violence
Domestic abuse provision
Visit our Violence Against Women and Girls pages to find out about our current provision to prevent and reduce domestic abuse.
Funding opportunities
The application window for 2025/26 project funding has now closed.
Please continue to check this webpage for future funding opportunities and updates.
Wandsworth Robbery Fund
We are currently funding over £170,000 for robbery-focused initiatives delivered by voluntary and community sector organisations. These projects are being delivered across schools and youth clubs in Wandsworth over a two-year period, concluding in March 2026.
Wandsworth Communities Against Violence Forum Project Pot
Through the forum project pot, two providers have been successfully commissioned to deliver services through to March 2026.
Reporting a crime
Always call 999 if there is a crime in action or immediate threat to life. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, use the textphone service 18000 or text 999 if you’ve pre-registered with the emergency SMS service.
Met Police
You can also report crimes to the Metropolitan Police online or phone 101 at any time to report an incident. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, use the textphone service on 18001 101.
Crimestoppers
Should you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Useful resources
Victim Support
Victim Support can help immediately after an incident or any time after the crime has taken place. They will listen to you in confidence and offer information, practical help, and emotional support; they are also able to help you to navigate the criminal justice system and make a compensation claim, if you choose to report the crime.
Victim Support have specially trained staff and volunteers. They can help you to cope with the emotional effects of hate crime, support you and other members of your family for as long as you need and give you advice on safety and home security. They also provide help on getting in touch with other organisations and help you to deal with other agencies.
For more information about what services the Victim Support team in South London can offer you contact them:
- Telephone: 020 7801 1777
- Email: vs.wandsworth@vslondon.org
- Website: Victim Support website
Abianda
Abianda is a social enterprise that works with young women and girls affected by criminal exploitation and violence and provides training for the professionals who work with them.
Email: hello@abianda.com
Telephone: 020 7686 0520