Violence Against Women & Girls Youth Consultation

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is an important issue that affects the safety and well-being of everyone in our community, including young people.

This term covers different types of serious and harmful behaviours, such as:

• Domestic abuse
• Sexual assault
• Controlling behaviour
• Harassment or intimidation (in public, in person, and online)

The Council made a promise in December 2024 to find ways to reduce and prevent Violence Against Women and Girls in Maidstone. Our efforts will only be truly effective if they are based on your experiences and what you think is most important.

We are launching this survey to gather honest feedback and ideas from all young residents across Maidstone. Your feedback is vital in helping us create a strategy that addresses the issues that matter to you most.

We urge all young people, no matter your sex or gender, to get involved.

How to get involved

We’re running this project in a few stages. Here are the three main ways you can contribute:

1. Survey - Click here to start the survey (opens in a new window)

The goal of this survey is to collect your honest opinions, experiences, and top priorities about VAWG in Maidstone.

• Survey takes: 6-9 minutes to complete.

This survey asks about serious and sensitive topics. If any question makes you uncomfortable, you can skip it or stop at any time. If you feel upset, distressed, or unsafe at any point, please reach out to one of the free, confidential helplines listed on this page.

2. Safety Map - Click here to open the safety map - Have your say and tell us where you feel safe or unsafe in Maidstone. Use the map to give us feedback on as many places as you want. Use the 'help' tab for guidance on how to place a pin.

3. Community Discussion Group (age 16-18 years) - Click here to find out more about the Community Discussion (opens in a new window)

The anonymous information we get from this survey will help shape our wider Community Discussion on VAWG taking place early next year.

We are specifically recruiting a group of young people aged 16-18 (who live or study in Maidstone) to join and help shape these discussions. Your ideas will be turned into actions for the Council and its partners to take forward. Participation in this group will require signed parental or guardian consent.

If you are interested in joining the discussion, you can fill out this short form to register your interest (opens in a new window)

Please note: Completing this survey does not automatically sign you up for the discussion group. You will need to apply separately.

What Next

• Consultation closes: 25 January 2026

After the consultation closes, check back on this page and follow us on social media to see how your input is used and what changes are being made.