She highlighted the epidemic level of violence against women, citing statistics from the Home Office including 177 murders, 70,000 reported rapes, and almost 2.5 million victims of domestic abuse in 2021. She criticised the Government for not adequately addressing these issues, with rape convictions at a record low of around one per cent. Reeves called for tougher sentencing guidelines, including statutory minimum sentences for rape and life orders for certain crimes such as the rape, abduction, and murder of strangers.

She congratulates the hon. Member on securing an important debate about domestic violence, emphasising its abhorrent nature and impact on victims' self-confidence and self-esteem. Ms Grant supported the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, highlighting its expanded definition of domestic abuse to include financial, verbal or emotional forms. She emphasised that children witnessing such abuse are also recognised as victims. We certainly have more laws now to protect victims than we did 50 years ago and we also have more organisations to support victims. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we also need to do much more in terms of prevention?

The hon. Member points out the need to control access to pornographic material that sexualises and shows violence towards women, asking if there is a wish for legislation to ensure this. Jim Shannon highlighted the severe issue of violence against women in Northern Ireland, citing high murder rates and recent cases. He criticized lenient sentences for domestic abuse offenders and called for tougher sentencing laws to deter repeat offenses. He also raised concerns about police funding cuts and the need for trained officers to support victims. Asked the Minister to look into sentencing discrepancies where women who act in self-defence receive harsher sentences than their attackers.

Tackling violence against women and girls is a key focus for the Government, with numerous pieces of legislation introduced. Darlington has benefitted from safer streets fund money to support initiatives like Number Forty hub and CCTV control room efforts which have helped in convictions. Mr Gibson intervened to emphasise the importance of prosecuting and convicting perpetrators who spike drinks or inject substances, highlighting this as a heinous crime. He also asked Ms Hobhouse for specific additional offences required beyond existing statutes that deal with administering poison through drinks or injections.

The hon. Lady agrees that childhood trauma from violence leads to the next generation of violence and calls for better trauma-informed services across the board. She condemns spiking as a vile form of violence against women and girls, urging support in condemning it. Ms Hobhouse highlighted the high number of sexual offences logged by Bath and North East Somerset police and criticised the justice system for its low conviction rates, with only 3% of rape cases leading to charges. She expressed concern over the invasive data collection from victims, which can dissuade them from pursuing their case through the criminal justice system. She also mentioned a report suggesting that misogyny undermines sentencing outcomes by prioritising other types of crimes over sexual offences. Acknowledged the Minister's clarification on the independence of institutions and expressed gratitude for correcting the record regarding conviction numbers.