Local officers from Kent Police (Swale District) will hold a public drop‑in and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) awareness session at Bapchild Village Hall, School Lane, Bapchild (ME9 9NL) on Wednesday 11 February 2026. The session starts at 14:00 and has been organised with Swale Community Safety Partnership and local parish representatives.
The event will combine informal one‑to‑one “surgeries” where residents can raise local concerns or report incidents (including anti‑social behaviour) with a structured presentation on how to access support and legal protections for victims, including signposting to Domestic Abuse Protection Orders and local victim services.
The session forms part of the Police and Crime Plan 2025–2029 by Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott, which explicitly prioritises domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator interventions. It also aligns with Kent Police’s neighbourhood policing commitments to increase visibility in rural communities and to promote reporting tools such as the Home Office ‘StreetSafe’ service (available online and via a mobile app).
Swale Borough Council has said reported VAWG‑related incidents in the borough have risen by 37% over the past five years. Further information about the meeting is listed on the Bapchild village website and local noticeboards for anyone wishing to attend.
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