David Skaith’s priorities, as Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, include reducing the levels of violence against women and girls in our region and tackling crime in rural areas.
This week is Rural Crime Action Week, which is putting victims of rural crime in the spotlight by shining a light on the realities of those affected, the unique challenges they face, and the action needed to better protect them.
Many women who are victims who reside in rural areas in our region can often feel isolated, unheard and at times feel they are overlooked.
Earlier this year York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, Jo Coles, presented a report to the local Policing, Fire and Crime Panel which reviewed progress on tackling domestic abuse in rural areas across North Yorkshire.
The panel heard how Liberty Links’ a service provided by St Giles Trust and receives funding from the Combined Authority, provides mobile and outreach services to women in rural communities throughout the Ryedale and Craven districts.
This is done via a specially converted van, called ‘Libby’, which offers local women gender-specific support in a trauma-informed way.
Other services have also been jointly delivered from the Liberty Links Van including Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS), Substance Use Support and Mental Health support.
Since the start of the service:
- Between August 2023 and June 2025, 490 women have accessed the service.
- Between August 2023 and June 2025, 37 women specifically accessed the service for advice and guidance around current or previous domestic abuse.
Feedback from women who have accessed support from ‘Libby’ shows how much they’ve appreciated having a service available to them as a safe space.
“What a great idea. Living in the sticks is lovely but also lonely and isolating, it can be tough. It’s a brilliant idea, just wish there were more of you!”
“When you move to a new place, especially when it is to get away from a bad man you feel scared and alone, and when you have children, you have to pretend to be happy all of the time, it’s hard. The van coming is a calm, happy place for me to chat and drink coffee, you help me, but I can also forget for a little while. Thank you”
A worker from a Foodbank in Norton said:
“It’s a great service, it’s so needed. It’s a relief for us that we have someone we can send women to, we have so many that we’re worried about. Keep up the good work”.
It is estimated that only 24% of Domestic Abuse is reported to the police nationally. In addition, rural victims are half as likely as urban victims to report their abuse, leaving a significant number of rural victims unknown and unheard. On average, after abuse starts, a rural victim will wait almost 5 months longer to seek help than an urban victim, taking 3 years to act.
Liberty Links continues to be very successful helping women in rural areas across the region. It is a great example showcasing the importance of partnership working, targeting resources more effectively, and improving outcomes and feelings of safety for women. The Combined Authority has allocated further funding to continue to deliver the Liberty Links provision until March 2026.
To find out more about our commissioned services and how they can help you here: https://www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/for-you/services/commissioned-services/
You can read the report delivered to the Police, Fire and Crime Panel here: Agenda for North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on Thursday, 1 May 2025, 10.30 am | North Yorkshire Council