New Strategy Aims to Halve Violence Against Women and Girls within a Decade
Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has introduced a new strategy aiming to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within ten years.
In 2022/3, police recorded over one million VAWG incidents, accounting for about 20% of all police-reported crimes. Police chiefs declared VAWG a national emergency in 2024, with at least one in twelve women estimated to be victims.
The plan is built on three main pillars: prevention by focusing on boys and men, addressing misogyny and promoting healthy relationships; stopping abusers by granting greater police powers; and enhancing victim support. The strategy is accompanied by an action plan with clear timeframes.
The National Audit Office previously criticised earlier VAWG strategies for partial implementation, lack of oversight on funding, an emphasis on victims over prevention, and insufficient cross-government commitment.
Despite three delays (spring, summer, and autumn), the strategy was launched 18 months into the current Labour government. An inter-ministerial VAWG group will coordinate efforts, with dedicated VAWG staff in Number 10 and contributions from the Health and Transport departments.
The strategy emphasizes engaging men and boys through classroom programs, tackling online harms such as banning strangulation in pornography, and mandating guidance on the connections between culture, artificial intelligence, pornography, and misogyny.
Jess Phillips has publicly shared that she has discussed explicit online content with her children, specifically stating that strangulation is not normal sexual behaviour. She advocates for broader family conversations around these issues to support prevention efforts.
