Met cuts harm against women by London’s most dangerous men by more than half

New research published today shows the Met’s approach to targeting London’s worst perpetrators of violence against women and girls (VAWG) has cut the harm committed by them by more than half.

The study, by a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, looked at the Met’s V100 programme and analysed the harm committed by more than 25,000 offenders over nearly two years.

The research found that those who were targeted as V100 offenders went on to commit dramatically less crime, delivering substantial reductions in harm.

Offenders who were subject to interventions as part of the V100 programme committed 54 per cent less overall harmful offending and 53 per cent less violent offending when compared to their predicted rates of harm.

After six months, offenders were assessed as committing 50 per cent less overall offending and committing 44 per cent less violent offending compared to predicted levels – showing the Met’s work is delivering lasting change for women and girls across London.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell, who leads the V100 programme, said:

“These findings confirm what our officers working on the frontline already suspected - the V100 programme is delivering unprecedented results that are helping to provide women and girls across London with sustained protection.

“V100 relies on the bravery of victim-survivors and the dedication of our officers to build strong cases and bring these prolific offenders before the courts.

“Every woman and girl in London deserves to feel safe in every part of their daily lives. Yet far too many do not. We are determined to change that, and the V100 programme shows what is possible when we relentlessly target the men who commit the most harm.”

The programme, launched in 2023, uses crime report data to identify the most dangerous individuals, who are then relentlessly pursued.

Met analysts run almost 60,000 individuals through the system every month to identify the 100 offenders committing the most harm against women and girls.

Officers then identify the most appropriate tactics to use to take these people off the streets or to disrupt their offending.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

“The Met’s V100 work, made possible by record City Hall funding, is transforming the way police in London tackle violence against women and girls. More than 200 perpetrators who pose the greatest risk to women and girls have been convicted to date – protecting victims and survivors from the worst offenders and making our streets safer.

“Alongside this enforcement action, I have overseen a record £277 million investment to support victims and survivors and champion a public health approach to preventing and tackling violence against women and girls across the capital.

“We must do all we can to end the national epidemic of violence against women and girls. That is why I recently announced a new £6million fund to spearhead an urgent new approach to tech-enabled abuse, continue to give the Met record investment to fund new forensic technology and have launched a new public awareness campaign to help men reject misogynistic views proliferating online. I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that ending violence against women and girls is treated with the utmost urgency, both by our police and society as a whole, to build a safer London for everyone.”

VAWG offences are notoriously difficult to secure charges for, and so once individuals are identified officers may first decide to prioritise offending that is easier to prove.

Known as ‘Achillies heel’ techniques, offenders can face arrest for other forms of criminality they have committed, everything from theft to assault and more, allowing officers to bring them into custody quicker, ideally securing convictions that take them off the streets. This not only protects potential victims of their VAWG offending, it also provides the time and space where those victims may feel safe enough to report the more serious crimes committed against them.

The research confirms that 10 per cent of the most harmful offenders – those identified within the programme each month - were found to cause more total harm than the remaining 90 per cent of offenders combined. Policing resources are not unlimited and they must be targeted to achieve the greatest impact. By directing its resources at the most harmful group specifically, the Met is reducing a much greater amount of harm than if it adopted a less targeted, less data driven approach.

In April, the Met secured its 200th conviction as part of the V100 programme. Sentences secured sentences so far total over 676 years. Officers targeting V100 offenders have also obtained 157 court orders, including Domestic Violence Prevention Orders, Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, and Stalking Protection Orders, imposing strict conditions to prevent further harm.