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Men’s Violence against Women and Girls
29 November 2024
Lead MP
Emily Darlington
Debate Type
Adjournment Debate
Tags
Crime & Law Enforcement
Other Contributors: 1
At a Glance
Emily Darlington raised concerns about men’s violence against women and girls in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
In January, Tia Simmonds was killed by her husband; in March, Wendy Francis was stabbed to death; in April, Rachel McDaid was strangled; in June, Rita Fleming was drowned after sustaining head injuries from her fiancé; and in August, Courtney Mitchell was chased down the street and stabbed to death. Every three days in this country, a woman is murdered by a man. Domestic abuse is devastating not just for women but also for children who witness it. Less than 24% of domestic abuse crimes are reported to the police, with calls received every 30 seconds. Emily Darlington highlighted the importance of community campaigns and thanked an organisation in her constituency, MK ACT, for its work running a refuge and perpetrator programmes.
Don’t worry about Jim!
Government Response
I thank Emily Darlington for bringing forward this debate and highlighting the issue of violence by men against women. The data tells us that crimes such as domestic abuse, stalking, rape, and other sexual offences disproportionately affect women, predominantly committed by men. We have committed to halving violence against women and girls in the next decade and are taking steps to address root causes, underlying behaviours, attitudes, and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice. The minister emphasises that domestic abuse is often a hidden crime not reported to the police. She outlines plans to improve police response through data-driven tools and algorithms to track high-harm offenders involved in domestic abuse, sexual assault, harassment, and stalking. Prevention and education will be fundamental to tackling root causes, including supporting the education system to teach children about respectful relationships and consent. The Government are currently reviewing the content of the relationships, sex and health education curriculum with a focus on children’s wellbeing. The minister reaffirms the government's commitment to halving violence against women and girls in a decade.
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Assessment & feedback
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About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.