TOEX partnered with Simpson Associates to revolutionise their VAWG approach to data-driven crime prevention 

Overview

The Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) Programme is a UK-wide initiative that provides dedicated intelligence and analytical expertise to support UK police forces investigating all forms of organised exploitation. With the vision of a whole-systems approach to improve the response to the exploitation of the vulnerable, TOEX is focussed on helping forces disrupt and prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG). 

VAWG remains a pressing and pervasive issue in the UK. With a woman tragically killed by a man every three days in the UK, domestic abuse related crimes accounting for 18% of all recorded across England and Wales and 194,683 sexual offences in the UK in the year ending March 2022, the urgency to identify and anticipate VAWG is undeniable. TOEX recognises the need for swift action to increase the disruption of VAWG offending and help prevent future tragedies. 

Problem

Despite significant efforts by law enforcement and government agencies, addressing VAWG has proven difficult due to various factors, including the widespread nature of VAWG offending, the volume of data involved, and the challenges associated with coordinating efforts across different police jurisdictions.

Across the whole of the UK, traditional methods of policing can no longer optimise an effective response. Without a modern data solution, there is a heightened risk that critical details may be overlooked, allowing perpetrators to evade justice, leaving women and girls vulnerable to violence.  

The TOEX programme was no stranger to this problem.  

Faced with an avalanche of data from multiple forces, TOEX faced a significant challenge of critical details getting lost in the noise.

Furthermore, if a VAWG criminal moved between jurisdictions traditional data silos make it challenging for police forces to connect the dots between past offences and current investigations. TOEX sought a solution which leveraged various datasets from forces across the eastern region to highlight individuals or areas that required preventative measures. This tool would help in preventing future harm and ensuring the safety of women and girls. 

Driven by the shared mission to leverage data to drive positive change, TOEX and Simpson Associates came together to create a game-changing solution that ensures data-driven decision-making and enhanced collaboration between forces. 

“Our aim was to create an innovative solution that would bring together all the crucial VAWG data from across the region, empowering TOEX to effectively identify high-risk offenders, categorise the seriousness of their crimes and analyse the frequency of their offences. By having access to a comprehensive profile of each offender, TOEX and the local forces they support can pre-empt future threats and prevent more women and girls from becoming victims of violence.”

 

Ryan Hinch
Lead Consultant, Simpson Associates

Solution

Building upon our successful partnership with TOEX, Simpson Associates developed a powerful, custom Power BI solution to revolutionise their VAWG initiative. 

This custom, secure report integrated seamlessly within the pre-existing TOEX data platform and has transformed how TOEX manage VAWG-related data.  

Through implementing advanced analytics and innovative scoring metrics, TOEX were able to cut through the noise and allow law enforcement to effectively focus their efforts on the most serious offenders. Using the RFG (Recency-Frequency-Gravity) score and the CHI (Cambridge Harm Index) – offenders were ranked based on the severity of their past actions and likelihood of reoffending. This scoring system became a critical tool, flagging those who posed the greatest risk and arming TOEX with a detailed profile of each offender, complete with location history, prior offences, and demographics. 

By detecting patterns in offender behaviour, such as an increase in the frequency or severity of crimes, the system provides predictive policing that went beyond reactionary measures, opening the opportunity for police forces to act accordingly, quickly, and effectively.  

Recognising the challenge of tracking offenders across jurisdictions, we introduced a ‘Movement Across Force Boundaries’ feature. This innovative tool alerted law enforcement whenever a VAWG offender had moved into one of their regions (Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Kent, West Mercia, and Warwickshire) providing critical details about their criminal history. No longer would geography allow these criminals to hide – this proactive approach ensured that VAWG criminals could no longer evade justice by simply crossing county borders.  

To ensure the report was easily understood and implemented across the different police forces sharing the TOEX data platform, Simpson Associates worked closely with local task forces to gather essential information and tailor the solution to the unique needs. This collaboration resulted in a dynamic, secure, data-driven solution that continues to evolve, providing officers with the right tools to fight VAWG crime like never before. 

At its core, this wasn’t just about improving TOEX’s reporting; it was about making communities safer. By leveraging data for good and ensuring that the system remained secure and compliant, we helped transform how law enforcement approaches crime prevention and reporting. TOEX’s predictive policing reports became more than just tools—they became critical assets when protecting women and girls from future harm. 

“The partnership with Simpson Associates has completely transformed how we approach VAWG crime. This report isn’t just a tool; it’s an opportunity to protect vulnerable women and girls across the eastern region. We’re already seeing real, measurable impact.”

 

Kate Thacker
Detective Chief Superintendent and TOEX Director

Key Benefits

• Improved offender detection: Having a list of flagged individuals that may reoffend, complete with a full criminal profile and their location, means that officers can prioritise investigations into high-risk and/or repeat offenders. 

• Metrics for offender prioritisation: By harnessing key metrics like RFG and CHI scores, officers can filter out the noise and make data-driven decisions that optimise resource allocation and improve overall effectiveness.   

• Collaboration across jurisdictions: The integration of data across multiple police forces enables better coordination and ensures that offenders can’t escape justice by simply moving across county lines.   

“Partnering with TOEX has been an incredible opportunity to demonstrate how data can address one of the nation’s most urgent challenges—violence against women and girls. Our close collaboration with both TOEX and multiple police forces ensured that this solution aligns with the government’s mission to protect the most vulnerable.”

 

Dave Kerby
Blue Lights Account Director, Simpson Associates

Conclusion

The challenges in tackling VAWG in the UK are multifaceted, from the complexity of the crimes to the limitations of traditional policing methods. However, as the TOEX work demonstrates, data-driven solutions are a powerful tool for overcoming these barriers.  

Our partnership with TOEX has reshaped how VAWG cases are reported and analysed, empowering law enforcement with powerful new tools to protect vulnerable individuals. By combining advanced data analytics with real-world police expertise, we’ve empowered law enforcement to predict, prevent, and ultimately protect women and girls. 

This innovative approach enables police forces to not only identify dangerous offenders, but also initiate crime prevention steps to safeguard the most vulnerable members of society. This shift from reactive to proactive policing is crucial in addressing the growing epidemic of VAWG in the UK. 

With the UK government declaring a national emergency in response to a 37% increase in VAWG offences over the past five years, the need for innovate solutions is more pressing than ever. Data-driven approaches, like our work with TOEX, provide a clear path forward in tackling the complex and widespread issue of VAWG and offer hope for a future where women and girls can live free from violence.