Violence against Women and Girls 2025-03-11
2025-03-11
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows a tragic incident in the Minister's constituency where a constituent was shot and killed. The MP references the Government's manifesto commitment to halve violence against women and girls by the end of the decade.
I am sure that the thoughts of the whole House are with the Minister’s constituent Joanne, and I am sorry for that loss. The scale of violence against women and girls in my constituency of Leeds North West and across the country is intolerable. Our manifesto commitment to halve violence against women and girls by the end of the decade, which the Minister mentioned, is much needed and ambitious. How will her Department contribute to delivering this critical commitment? Specifically, what steps does her Department plan to take to reduce the backlog of domestic violence cases, and to support victims of domestic abuse?
The Government are determined to meet our ambitious target of halving violence against women and girls over the course of a decade. I proudly co-chair our cross-Government working group with the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips), to look at how we can bring every Government Department to the table. This issue is not just for the Ministry of Justice or Home Office to tackle; the onus is on all of us—every Department and all of society—to do better if we are to reach the target. We have funded a record number of Crown court sitting days to hit the backlog and tackle it head-on. The majority of domestic abuse cases are heard in the magistrates court, and we are determined to do more to reach vulnerable victims.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific steps to reduce backlog of domestic violence cases and support victims were not detailed beyond general commitment.
Working On
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asks about restoring confidence in the justice system following concerns raised by women and girls about the low prosecution rate for cases of violence and sexual harassment.
May I thank the Minister for her answer, and also extend my thoughts to Joanne’s family and friends? In recent years, women and girls have increasingly expressed distrust in the justice system to resolve cases of violence and sexual harassment, as so few of those events result in prosecution. What steps is the Minister taking to restore trust in the justice system, so that my constituents in Erewash know that they have somewhere to turn when they are targeted by such hate crimes?
As part of this Government’s safer streets mission, we have committed to improving confidence in the police and the criminal justice system. We will introduce specialist rape and sexual offence teams in every police force, as well as domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms. We will also give victims of adult rape access to an independent legal adviser to help them understand and uphold their rights from day one. I want every victim, whether in Erewash or in Pontypridd, to know that they are heard, and that this Government support them.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific measures beyond general commitments were not detailed.
Working On
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references a case from 2021 where a woman in his constituency was the victim of an alleged assault, and she has yet to see any resolution or trial.
May I associate myself with colleagues’ comments about the tragic events in the Minister’s constituency? Back in 2021, a young woman in my constituency was the victim of an alleged assault. Even now, in 2025, she advises that there has been no trial, and she worries that she could run into the accused around town. What can be done to expedite such cases in which violence is alleged, to better protect our citizens and ensure that our streets are safe from crime?
The Government are committed to bearing down on the caseload and bringing waiting times down for victims. Since July, we have put more funding into Crown courts, so that they will have their greatest capacity ever, and we have doubled magistrates’ sentencing powers to free up time for the Crown courts, so that they can hear the most serious cases. We have also commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to recommend once-in-a-generation reforms to our criminal courts, and we look forward to receiving his report in the spring.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific measures beyond general commitments were not detailed.
Working On
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The system only qualifies survivors whose abusers have been convicted for more than 12 months, excluding many victims and survivors from the victim contact scheme.
On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I start by associating myself with the comments made at the beginning in relation to Joanne. So many victims and survivors rely on the victim contact scheme to know when their abuser is being released from prison or moved to an open prison and to have input into the kind of conditions that should exist when they are released. However, the system that we have inherited from the last Government is such that only survivors whose abusers have been convicted for more than 12 months qualify for the scheme. In the upcoming Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill, will the Minister commit to scrapping that threshold so that all victims and survivors can qualify for the scheme?
We are looking carefully at the victim notification scheme as part of any forthcoming legislation, to ensure that victims’ rights are taken into full consideration and that victims are aware of the situation if that is deemed appropriate. I look forward to working with them closely, and I have no doubts about how we should develop the best and strongest possible laws to support the victims of all crimes in our country.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment to scrap the 12-month conviction threshold
Looking Carefully At
To Ensure That Victims’ Rights Are Taken Into Full Consideration
Response accuracy