PCC hosts major safeguarding event to Take Action to strengthen Merseyside’s response to violence against women and girls
31.03.26 - Merseyside
Professionals from across Merseyside came together today (Tuesday 31st) for a major multi agency training event, hosted by the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, as part of her ongoing work to take action to prevent and tackle violence and abuse.
The Merseyside Safeguarding and Exploitation Training Event brought together frontline practitioners, specialist charities and policing teams to strengthen the region’s collective approach to identifying exploitation, protecting vulnerable people and addressing emerging forms of abuse, including tech‑enabled Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
It was hosted by the PCC, Emily Spurrell, and Deputy PCC, Cllr Jeanie Bell, to support improvements in safeguarding practice, raise awareness of new and emerging risks, and help professionals respond more effectively to VAWG in all its forms.
Equipping professionals with the skills and training to respond to VAWG, is a key commitment the PCC’s region-wide strategy – Working in partnership to tackling VAWG across Merseyside – to end VAWG co-signed by more than 50 partners across the region.
It also builds on her ongoing Taking Action campaign with Merseyside Police which is focused on raising awareness and understanding of the red flags of sexual violence, abuse and exploitation.
Attendees from across policing, health, education, local authorities, housing, and the voluntary sector took part in a comprehensive programme of training delivered by leading organisations, including:
- Reign Collective CIC, providing specialist insight into how young people are groomed, coerced and exploited, and how professionals can intervene early.
- Merseyside Police’s dedicated Modern Slavery team, Operation Sanctuary, sharing intelligence on identifying exploitation, offender behaviour and local safeguarding challenges.
- MSI Choices, offering insight into specialist health services and advice on referral pathways.
- Barnardo’s, presenting their Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship service and outlining their partnership work to protect vulnerable children across Merseyside.
- Merseyside Police’s Cyber Team, briefing attendees on cyber‑enabled VAWG, online grooming, and the ways offenders increasingly use digital tools to target victims.
The event reinforced the importance of a joined‑up, trauma‑informed approach to safeguarding, with policing, health, education, local authorities and voluntary organisations all working together to improve outcomes for vulnerable people.
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Today’s training is another important step in taking action against violence and abuse across Merseyside.
“We know that exploitation doesn’t sit neatly in one category – it can be offline, online, in homes, schools, workplaces or digital spaces.
“No single organisation can tackle exploitation or VAWG alone. Bringing agencies together in one room is vital to continuing to improve our response to vulnerability, ensuring we are joined‑up, consistent and able to act quickly when concerns are raised.
“This event was designed to give professionals on the frontline of protecting our most vulnerable the tools and confidence they need to recognise the signs, intervene early, and respond in a way that strengthens our collective ability to keep women and girls safe.”
This latest training session forms part of the PCC’s wider programme of activity to take action against VAWG, improve early intervention, enhance frontline knowledge and ensure victims receive timely, appropriate support.
