A safe, just and equal world for women

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Visits Advance

February 3, 2025
Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott, visited Advance’s women’s centre in Canterbury to meet staff and find out about the support the charity offers to women on probation.

The visit gave Advance staff the opportunity to highlight the gaps in provision for women in contact with the criminal justice system, such as the lack of long-term support and rehabilitation, and the vital need for more funding.

Advance has had a centre in Kent for four years and supports more than 400 women across the county. Many of whom are or have been victims of domestic abuse, and many of their crimes are directly linked to that abuse.

Amy Dennison, Service Manager for Advance’s Criminal Justice Service in Kent, said:
  “It was great to hear the Commissioner’s priorities in terms of support for women. His ambitions to break the cycle of reoffending and his understanding of and interest in early support and diversion was refreshing to see.

“The Commissioner also recognised that certain services within the criminal justice system were designed for men and would need supportive change to make them suitable for women.

“The work Advance do in Kent has seen amazing results in terms of supporting women rehabilitate in a holistic way. We are working hard to build our service to provide a wraparound provision so that support can be accessed at any stage of a woman’s journey. Advance provides one to one support and Advocacy for women who have often not engaged with, or not had the opportunity to engage with, services.”

Dr. Summer Alston-Smith, Advance’s Director of Business Development & Insights, added:
“It was refreshing and energising to hear the Commissioner’s interest in preventive approaches and commitment to VAWG solutions. As a specialist women’s charity, Advance believe these are cornerstones to effecting meaningful change for women facing the devastating impact of involvement in the criminal justice system.”

As Kent’s PCC, Mr Scott’s role is to set policing priorities for the county, by consulting with the public and putting together a Police and Crime Plan – which he then holds the Chief Constable of Kent Police accountable for delivering.

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott said:
“It was a pleasure to visit Advance and meet such a committed team. Breaking the cycle of offending, by offering comprehensive rehabilitation programmes is something I’m committed to.

“Not only do such interventions help some of society’s most vulnerable people, but they also prevent crime taking place in the future. The results Advance see speak for themselves and I’d like to congratulate the team’s innovation and experience in this often difficult area.”

Media enquiries

For more information, please contact Tracie Couper, Press Officer at Advance, at tracie.c@advancecharity.org.uk or on 0743 2700 287.

Notes 
  • Advance’s specialist advocates work in partnership with 11 local and national women’s service providers, alongside statutory services to provide services within women’s communities across the 6 regions of Hampshire, Kent, Thames Valley, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire.
  • Through our woman-centred approach, we aim to prevent the cycle of re-offending, tackling issues such as lack of consistent housing and homelessness, domestic abuse and sexual violence, mental health, emotional well-being, parenting and family relationships, education training and employment, finance, benefits, and debt.
  • 53% of women in prison report having experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse as a child compared to 22% of men.
  • 72% of women who entered prison in 2020 have committed a non-violent offence.
  • 57% of women in prison and under community supervision report being victims of domestic abuse. The true figure is likely higher, as many women fear disclosing abuse.
  • 50% of women, compared to 22% of men, have reported that they offended to support someone else’s drug use.
  • Read more in Advance’s report – A Strange Empty Place – here.  
About Advance
  • Advance’s vision is a world in which women and children lead safe, equal, violence-free lives so that they can flourish and actively contribute to society. The charity works with women who experience domestic abuse to be safe and take control of their lives, and women who have committed crime or are at risk of offending to break the cycle.
  • As well as providing direct support, Advance works with statutory services, government agencies and other women’s charities to ensure a holistic approach to the issues these women face.
  • Women must be referred to Advance, via statutory services or the charity’s self-referral scheme. For more information about who Advance is able to support, please visit Get help 
  •  For facts and statistics about domestic abuse and women in the criminal justice system, as well as Advance’s work, please visit Our impact
Pictures of five profiles of young women who feature in Advance film, 'I Love My Loud Voice'
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