UK Government Delays Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy with Focus on Young Men
The UK government has postponed the long-awaited unveiling of its Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy until December 18, 2025. The plan, which has been delayed three times, aims to change attitudes among boys and young men and addresses issues tied to abuse and victim support.
The strategy focuses on three main goals: preventing the radicalisation of young men, stopping abusers, and supporting victims. It is a cross-government effort involving the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Education, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The plan seeks to equip police with new tools to track down abusers, though these details have yet to be fully set out.
It emphasizes prevention by addressing root causes of radicalisation in schools, homes, and online environments, collaborating with teachers to challenge misogyny, and increasing parental support to enable early intervention. Online influence is also highlighted, with concerns raised that more than one in five young men hold a positive view of figures like Andrew Tate, who are blamed for fueling the problem.
Supporting victims is a critical aspect of the strategy, especially given recent challenges such as police failures and court delays. Statistics reveal that more than half of rape and stalking cases collapse as victims withdraw. Data cited within the strategy indicates that nearly 40% of teenagers in relationships are victims of abuse. Over the past year, one in eight women experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, and approximately 200 rapes are recorded daily, with hundreds of thousands of children being sexually abused annually.
The Labour Party has pledged to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade, highlighting the urgency of the strategy. However, MPs have criticized the repeated delays; Andy Slaughter, chair of the Justice Committee, described the postponements as a sign that the government does not prioritize the issue.
