Violence against Women and Girls 2025-01-09

Raises concerns about potential gaps in criminal law regarding harassment and following, and asks for commitment from the Government to address these issues.

Welcomes the Government's announcement on spiking becoming a specific offence, commends the campaigning work of Dawn Dines and Stamp Out Spiking, and calls for collaboration between organisations and police forces to ensure the new law is embedded in knowledge across different agencies.

Welcomes the debate and agrees on the need for eradication of violence against women and girls. Emphasises the importance of partnership, including men and young boys. Acknowledges the work of previous Conservative Government in keeping constituents safe during the pandemic. Supports protection orders and updated spiking law. Criticises Labour's stance on the issue as 'ignoring' VAWG for too long.

Highlights the high percentage of recorded rapes that go unpunished, mentions 80 women killed by men last year and revenge porn helpline dealing with 9,000 cases annually. Emphasises under-reporting issue in sexual assault statistics.

Acknowledges Mims Davies' speech as effective and mentions the introduction of coercive control offence in 2015. Highlights that governments have been working on VAWG issue for many years.

Ms Hobhouse questioned whether society dismisses offences against women as 'just a laugh' and highlighted the need for societal changes to address violence against women. She emphasised the importance of addressing how society views men, citing examples such as upskirting before it became illegal.

Ms Brewer spoke about her experience supporting victims of domestic abuse and highlighted systemic issues in violence against women. She cited statistics on the gender pay gap, unpaid care responsibilities, and crimes recorded every day. Ms Brewer emphasised that violence is enabled by inequality and a culture of disbelief.

The debate discusses the consequences of disbelief and lack of action regarding violence against women and girls, including the need for cultural and legislative change. The speaker supports the Government’s ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade by passing laws such as the Domestic Abuse (Aggravated Offences) Bill which distinguishes domestic abuse from other offences and excludes perpetrators from early release schemes. There is also emphasis on addressing court backlogs, improving training for those working with victims, ensuring funding for services supporting survivors of domestic abuse, and tackling issues related to paternity leave and gender pay gap.

Supports the Government's commitment to halving violence against women and girls in a decade. Emphasises that victims must be at the heart of work and addresses societal failure to grapple with the reality that most people know both victims and perpetrators of abuse. Calls for better education, honest discussions about men’s roles, identifying abusive behaviour, structures believing women, investment in mental health and victim support services, and a justice system delivering timely and non-traumatic justice.

Agrees that tackling violence against women and girls is a process not an event. Highlights the need for men to be part of the solution, noting technological changes enabling new forms of abuse such as deepfake imagery. Acknowledges frustration in limited levers available to Ministers, but emphasises the importance of legislating for cultural change.

Agrees with Dame Karen Bradley's point about online dangers and emphasises the need for mental health support and tackling issues like the incel community from a public health perspective.

Condemns attacks on those fighting against domestic abuse, highlights lack of progress in tackling VAWG despite legislative efforts. Criticises financial cuts to specialist charities and calls for long-term sustainable funding arrangements.

The hon. Member for Lagan Valley shared her personal experience as a survivor of abuse and highlighted the high rates of violence against women in Northern Ireland, noting that eight women were murdered last year and over 20 in the past four years. She emphasised the societal issues rooted in the legacy of conflict and trauma, along with the impact of harmful cultural norms such as incel culture and online rape threats directed at elected representatives. The hon. Member called for a robust response to tackle these root causes and protect women from systemic abuse.

Acknowledged the severity of violence against women and girls, criticised the normalization of toxic masculinity online by social media companies. Emphasised the need for legislation to address pornography, dating apps, and pimping websites, which contribute to violence against women.

Asked if Joani Reid agreed that dating app operators should be held accountable for protecting users, similar to social media companies. Reid agreed and expressed hope for cross-party collaboration.

Welcomed the Government's ambition to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade. Highlighted the impact of online pornography on attitudes, especially when viewed by young people during their formative years. Cited studies showing high percentages of adult males visiting pornographic sites and children seeing pornography at young ages. Called for basic safeguards requiring verification that individuals featured in content are adults with permission to publish, and for regulation of online pornography to be brought in line with offline standards.

Violence against women and girls is a national emergency, with 317 sexual offences and 1,841 incidents of stalking and harassment recorded in her constituency alone. She welcomed the Government's commitment to halving violence against women and girls in a decade but stressed the importance of tackling societal attitudes that contribute to male violence. Craft highlighted the need for education and empowerment of boys and men to challenge misogyny and sex-based hate, as well as supporting services like SERRIC which provide vital support to victims.

Smith discussed the impact of VAWG in Plymouth, highlighting initiatives such as the Male Violence Against Women and Girls Report. She mentioned significant progress made by city organisations like Trevi, First Light, Ahimsa, NSPCC, police, and local government. Smith emphasised the importance of appointing strategic leads to coordinate efforts, focus on education for all ages, support women and girls through multi-agency responses, create safe spaces, and address single-sex space clarity.

Discussed the Domestic Abuse Act 2021's recognition of children as victims in their own right. Raised concerns about labelling violence and its impact on focus and suggested a potential shift to 'violence against women and children'. Invited Minister for a response.

Welcomed the constructive tone from the shadow minister. Highlighted his vote in support of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to toughen child protection laws. Emphasised the need for a new inquiry into grooming gangs if it can be done without conflicting with police investigations, supporting Alexis Jay's demand for full implementation of the report. Pledged cross-party consensus on tackling child abuse.

Welcomed the debate and highlighted that every day 3,000 crimes against women are recorded but actual figures could be higher. Advocated for a whole-system approach to tackle violence including implementation of Istanbul convention, making misogyny a hate crime, and ensuring support services have sustainable funding.

Critiqued previous Governments' treatment of violence against women as inevitable or political opportunity. Questioned the absence of certain MPs from other parties in the debate, implying a lack of genuine concern about the issue.

Obese-Jecty discussed a case of a Member of Parliament who was convicted for violently assaulting his former girlfriend. He criticised the Reform party for knowingly supporting an MP with such a conviction and suggested that MPs should forfeit certain privileges if they have been sentenced for violence against women.

Taylor highlighted the impact of image-based abuse on victims, referencing her committee's report recommending new offences to combat such abuse. She shared a constituent's experience with emotional manipulation and physical abuse, emphasising the fear and trauma that women face.

Mohamed presented statistics from the Office for National Statistics and NSPCC highlighting the prevalence of domestic abuse-related crimes and child protection referrals. He also criticised austerity measures for reducing funding to support victims, leading to economic insecurity and vulnerability to abuse. Mohamed urged the Government to take immediate steps to protect victims and called for culturally sensitive support services for BAME communities.

Patrick questioned Mohamed about the importance of believing those who report crimes, especially regarding violent or sexual abuse. He emphasised the need for tight processes to ensure that individuals are taken seriously when reporting such incidents.

Burton-Sampson stressed the importance of preventive measures across Government, local councils, and schools. He highlighted online abuse and physical abuse statistics from the crime survey for England and Wales. He also praised the work of Jess Phillips in her role as Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls.

Thomas acknowledged the powerful contributions made during the debate, specifically mentioning Sorcha Eastwood's speech.

Violence against women takes various forms, including emotional, financial and coercive control. Survivors often face difficulties in accessing housing and support after leaving abusive relationships.

The government's commitment to halving violence against women and girls is welcome but the loophole in early release schemes for domestic abusers needs closure. A specific offence of domestic abuse could help exclude such offenders from early release.

Violence against women and girls is a serious issue affecting all communities. The debate must include voices from diverse backgrounds to address the complexities of this problem effectively.

Violence against women and girls is a societal epidemic. Welcomes the Government’s pledge to halve violence over this Parliament, and the roll-out of domestic abuse protection notices and orders in Sutton borough. Calls for reforming stalking legislation as it fails victims due to high burden of proof. Aims for creating a single clear offence for stalking.

Welcomes debate on predatory behaviour by those who use their positions to sexually assault and rape women and young men. Calls for mandatory Disclosure and Barring Service checks before entering Parliament, advocating for better compliance with statutory duties to inform the DBS of individuals posing risks.

Highlights work done in his constituency by Shama Women’s Centre providing sanctuary and support for victims of domestic abuse. Raises concern over financial support needed for charities supporting these victims.

Ms Juss provided data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council showing over a million crimes of violence against women and girls in England and Wales, with a 37% increase between 2018 and 2023. She stressed the importance of financial support for charitable organisations like Haven Wolverhampton, which supports survivors of domestic abuse. Additionally, she proposed abolishing the fee for person at risk of violence orders to protect victims from online publication of their addresses.

Ms Olney highlighted issues such as the removal of evidence from crime scenes without forensic exams due to budget cuts, and the financial burden on victims seeking court transcripts. She urged the Minister for Home Affairs to address these concerns to ensure better protection and support for survivors.

Ms Begum called for a comprehensive approach addressing domestic abuse in multiple sectors, including workplace rights. She advocated for paid leave provisions for domestic abuse survivors, similar to those available in Northern Ireland and other countries, as well as protections against adverse treatment at work due to suspicion of being affected by domestic abuse.

Murray highlighted the issue of trafficking and modern slavery as a form of extreme violence against women and girls. He praised the Modern Slavery Act 2015 but noted its deterioration, emphasising the need for better support for frontline organisations and preventing re-trafficking.

Morris acknowledged the historical significance of the debate and paid tribute to campaigners in his constituency. He mentioned Holly Newton and Joanne Tulip, and highlighted the work of Northumberland Domestic Abuse Services. He invited Ministers to visit Hexham to see NDAS's work.

Patrick discussed economic abuse as a form of domestic violence, emphasising its impact on survivors' ability to leave abusive situations and rebuild their lives. He highlighted the importance of government action in addressing this issue.

Vince thanked Jess Phillips for her work on violence against women and girls, acknowledging the bravery of survivors who have shared their stories.

Thanked for raising the issue of violence against women and girls.

Organises an annual vigil on White Ribbon Day, reading out names of victims killed by men in the previous 12 months. Calls for strategic leadership from councillors to change cultures and raise awareness.

Grateful for contributions made during the debate on violence against women and girls. Acknowledges previous government's work, including the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and £1.5 million spent annually on support services dealing with revenge porn. Emphasises cross-Government approach to tackling coercive control.

Calls for more than general debates in the pursuit of justice and welcomes the work outlined by the Safeguarding Minister earlier, focusing on the full eradication of deepfakes.

Highlights that victims can never easily move on from violence perpetrated against them; offenders may forget but victims will not. Urges political unity to enable women and girls to feel safe, focusing on the importance of telling the full truth for true justice.

Focuses on cross-Government approach in tackling violence against women and girls through a public health lens. Emphasises the need to protect single-sex spaces across various sectors like NHS, police and charities.

Speaks movingly about victims being people we know and love; highlights ongoing issues with rape threat culture and calls for action to address women feeling like they have to fight for their lives.

Emphasises the importance of employment as a means to move on from domestic abuse, highlighting work done at DWP to help people into work through the employers domestic abuse covenant.

Addresses the normalisation of violence in relationships and highlights the link between porn culture and desensitization. Calls for addressing aggressive acts as violent, not loving, to prevent young men from getting caught up in abusive cultures.

Focuses on the importance of good male role models and work on deepfakes to combat violence against women and girls.

The hon. Member expressed satisfaction with the gumption of the lead MP but highlighted issues such as cuts that have led to a lack of resources for panic alarms and other safety measures.

My hon. Friend mentioned specific cuts in her area that affect victims, emphasising the need for action rather than just words.

The Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee praised Gisèle Pelicot’s work around women's issues globally and emphasised the importance of addressing femicide data in Britain.

Like the lead MP, this hon. Member has a background from the sector and talked about the femicide data and sticky nature of lists of victims read out annually.

The hon. Member discussed a case in her constituency that will go on this year’s list of murders, highlighting the ongoing issue of violence against women.

Similar to other speakers, she mentioned specific cases of violence against women in her constituency and emphasised the need for action.