Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Violence against Women and Girls

Wednesday 13 November 2024 · 10 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 10 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Claire Hughes questioned the Minister about steps being taken to tackle violence against women and girls, noting criticism of the government's efforts despite rising case numbers.
  • Kevin Bonavia praised the work of independent domestic violence advocates and sexual violence advocates in Stevenage, commending their support for victims.
  • Carla Lockhart inquired about discussions with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on improving conviction rates for violence against women and girls incidents.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Claire Hughes Lab Bangor Aberconwy
Women & Equalities
Context

The government is under pressure to tackle rising violence against women and girls.

Question

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to tackle violence against women and girls. The government has been criticised for not doing enough to address this issue, despite the increasing number of reported cases.

Answer from Jess Phillips

This Government are committed to using all the levers at our disposal to deliver our mission to halve violence against women and girls. We have already announced our intention to embed specialist domestic abuse advisers in 999 control rooms, launched pilots for the new domestic abuse protection orders, and implemented a duty on employers to anticipate occasions when sexual harassment may occur and take responsible steps to prevent it.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q2 Kevin Bonavia Lab Stevenage
Women & Equalities
Context

The work of Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) and Independent Sexual Violence Advocates (ISVAs) is crucial in supporting victims of abuse, but there are concerns about their continued support.

Question

I am very pleased to hear that from the Minister. I am proud that in Stevenage, independent domestic violence advocates and independent sexual violence advocates working for Survivors Against Domestic Abuse—also known as SADA—do brilliant but challenging work supporting those who are at risk and suffering as a result of domestic or sexual abuse throughout Hertfordshire. There is no doubt that IDVAs and ISVAs are a key part of domestic abuse provision across the country, so will the Minister assure me that the Government will continue to support them in the vital work that they do?

Answer from Jess Phillips

Having done that work myself, I am more than happy to champion and praise the work of IDVAs and ISVAs. As my hon. Friend might imagine, we will use every tool available to us, including those vital roles, to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q3 Alice Macdonald Labour (Co-op) Norwich North
Justice & Courts
Context

There is a backlog in Crown court trials for serious sexual offences such as rape, causing significant distress to victims.

Question

When I spoke to the chief constable of Norfolk constabulary recently, he told me that if a suspect were arrested and charged today with a serious sexual offence such as rape, the Crown court trial could commence in the spring of 2026, which is more than a year away. That is totally unacceptable. What can the Minister do to reassure women in Norfolk who are waiting for their cases to be heard?

Answer from Jess Phillips

It is indeed totally unacceptable, and it is, I am afraid, a legacy of a totally failed justice system. We know that owing to the complexity of the system, rape victims are often left to wait disproportionately longer than others who are already waiting too long. In our manifesto we committed ourselves to fast-tracking rape cases. We are carefully considering the best way to do that, along with colleagues at the Ministry of Justice who lead on this work, and we will announce our plans in due course.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q4 Harpreet Uppal Lab Huddersfield
Women & Equalities
Context

There is a persistent issue of violence against women and girls, with alarming statistics highlighting the need for urgent action.

Question

I recently joined a Reclaim the Night march in Greenhead park in my constituency. The first of these marches took place in Leeds in the 1970s, and they are still important, because a woman is killed every three days in the UK. What actions are we taking to prioritise reducing the level of violence against women and girls, and also to create safer environments at night?

Answer from Jess Phillips

I thank my hon. Friend for question. The first march was in 1977 and, frankly, progress has been too slow if we still need to march. We will use a cross-Government, transformative approach to halve violence against women and girls, and that will be underpinned by a new violence against women and girls strategy, to be published next year. That will include drastically improving the police and criminal justice response. Prevention and education are also absolutely fundamental to our approach, and we will work across key Departments, including the Department for Education, to tackle the root causes of these crimes.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q5 Claire Hughes Lab Bangor Aberconwy
Education Women & Equalities
Context

Local projects such as the Don't Steal My Future initiative are vital in raising awareness about sexual violence and misogyny among young people.

Question

Pupils in my constituency are benefiting from pioneering workshops that are designed to increase awareness of sexual violence and misogyny through a project called “Don't Steal My Future”. Does the Minister agree that raising awareness of sexual violence in an age-appropriate way is vital to keeping young people safe? If so, will she come with me to meet the team at the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre North Wales?

Answer from Jess Phillips

The simple answer is yes, I do agree. As somebody who has written and delivered such programmes in schools, I know that brilliant work is going on across the country in local authorities, multi-academy trusts and more widely, with voluntary sector organisations doing a lot of the work. I would be glad to explore with officials the best way to learn from those who work with children and young people, because we have to work out what will work in our schools and then make sure that we put it out everywhere.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q6 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Women & Equalities
Context

Previous attempts to make misogyny a hate crime have failed, but there is continued support for this initiative.

Question

In the last Parliament, we Back Benchers tried and failed several times to make misogyny a hate crime. Legislation can be a powerful game changer. Is it not time we made misogyny a hate crime?

Answer from Jess Phillips

The Government are absolutely committed to tackling misogyny, both before it starts and when it exists. Hate crime reviews are being undertaken, and I am more than happy to meet the hon. Lady. I have met her many times to discuss this subject.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q7 Bob Blackman Con Harrow East
Benefits & Welfare Women & Equalities
Context

Women seeking refuge from domestic abuse often face bureaucratic hurdles and lack of support when trying to access benefits and housing.

Question

Women fleeing domestic violence are vulnerable and in desperate need of support and help, but often local authorities, which are supposed to help, do not enable women to get a place to live or receive their benefits. In the last Parliament, we tried to make sure that women in such circumstances could have a relative claim their benefits. What action will the Minister take to ensure that those women are given the support that they need in their desperate times?

Answer from Jess Phillips

I could not agree more with the hon. Gentleman, and I remember his valiant efforts during the passage of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The Government have committed to ensuring that local connection does not apply in cases such as those he talks about. With regard to benefits, the Department for Work and Pensions is very much part of the mission group on violence against women and girls, and I will absolutely raise his points. We will seek to make sure that when and wherever people crop up with these issues, their local authorities and local systems are in place.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q8 Carla Lockhart DUP Upper Bann
Policing & Resources Northern Ireland Women & Equalities
Context

There is a concerning number of violence against women and girls offences recorded in Northern Ireland, necessitating stronger action.

Question

In the 12 months to July 2024, 22,403 violence against women and girls offences were recorded in Northern Ireland. Will the Minister outline what discussions she has had with the Police Service of Northern Ireland about getting stronger conviction rates for such incidents of violence?

Answer from Jess Phillips

I have spoken to the Chief Constable of the PSNI within the last week, and he has requested that we go over to Northern Ireland. That trip is planned for early in the new year, and I would very much welcome working with colleagues in this House and the devolved Government to make sure that we are all working together on this issue.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q9 Shockat Adam Ind Leicester South
Justice & Courts Mental Health
Context

A constituent of the MP reported being denied access to mental health support while awaiting her case to be heard after a rape in 2021, with a hearing date set for 2026.

Question

A constituent came to me distressed due to being denied mental health support while awaiting trial for a 2021 rape. Her court case is scheduled for 2026, which the MP deems unacceptable. The questioner asks about the Minister's stance on this issue and the policy regarding access to mental health support.

Answer from Jess Phillips

It is a myth that people cannot access mental health support when awaiting trial. The answerer states that they ran a rape crisis service and served people who were awaiting trial, suggesting that such support should be provided to all victims.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not address the specific case or policy restrictions preventing access to mental health support.

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Q10 Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West
Women & Equalities
Context

Data shows that women of colour face higher rates of homicide and sexual assault compared to other ethnicities. Additionally, they are less likely to access support services.

Question

Women of colour disproportionately experience homicides, sexual assaults, and domestic abuses but are less likely to get necessary support services than white women. The questioner asks the Minister about plans to help these vulnerable groups more effectively.

Answer from Jess Phillips

Agrees with the need for a strong “by and for” approach, ensuring specialist services are available for black and minority ethnic women and other marginalised groups. The response commits to making this part of the violence against women and girls strategy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide specific commitments or timelines on how these support services will be implemented.

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