UK Government's Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy Faces Criticism Amid Calls for Cultural Change
The UK government has outlined a strategy to address violence against women and girls (VAWG), defining the issue through a new measure developed by the Home Office and ONS. This measure covers domestic abuse, stalking, sexual violence including rape, sexual harassment, honor-based abuse, female genital mutilation, online abuse, fatal VAWG, and sexual coercion spiking. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) found that nearly 40% of VAWG victims are adult men, though the strategy focuses on women and girls and excludes under-16s, who are not currently tracked in the survey. Key statistics for 2024/25 show that unwanted sexual touching affected 3.6% of women and 0.6% of men, with rape or attempted rape reported by 0.4% of women and 0.1% of men. Domestic abuse prevalence among those over 15 stands at 7.8%, with emotional abuse by a current or former partner reported by 4.8% of women and 3.2% of men. Critics have expressed concerns about the lack of ambition and investment in the plans and questioned how victims will be supported, with particular criticism regarding the exclusion of under-16s from detailed data collection due to cost and complexity.
In response to the government's VAWG strategy, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch made remarks on 18 December 2025 calling on people from cultures that do not respect women to leave the country. Without naming specific cultures, Badenoch advocated for deporting all foreign criminals and increasing police presence across the UK. She also criticized Labour's plans to teach misogyny and healthy relationships in secondary schools, labeling these efforts a distraction. The government strategy includes mandatory training for all secondary school teachers to identify early signs of misogyny in boys and plans for compulsory lessons on consent and the risks of sharing intimate images by 2029. Tory frontbencher Katie Lam called for an informed debate on migration's impact on women’s rights, noting that not every country or culture shares the belief in equality for women. Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips reiterated that VAWG is a national emergency affecting every community. Badenoch, born in the UK and raised in Nigeria, has previously stated that not all cultures are equally valid, emphasizing that culture extends beyond cuisine or clothing and may conflict with British values.
