Acting on instinct: Policing violence against women and girls in the night-time economy

Globally, violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a pervasive issue which has wide-scale consequences. This paper focuses on VAWG in the context of the night-time economy (NTE), and the policing strategies targeted at its prevention. Using a mixed-methods approach, it identifies the centrality of police officer knowledge to operational practice. Original insight suggests that this provides, at best, a partial basis for effective interventions and demonstrates a limited understanding of the complexities of VAWG offending behaviour. The significance of these findings is considerable for police leaders in terms of training and deployment in this high-profile field. The study found limits in relying on police knowledge as a basis for action and argues that this needs to be supplemented by other forms of evidence in relation to perpetrators and victim–survivors.