‘Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy'
An ambitious strategy aiming to bring an end to violence against women and girls
was set out by the government today. As well as measures to further protect victims and tackle perpetrators, the Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy ( home office webpage) signals a new focus on preventing violence from happening.
From 2011, preventing violence in relationships
will be included in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, so
attitudes which condone and perpetuate violence against women are addressed before
they become entrenched in young people. Download a copy of the Strategy
The strategy sets out a range of actions for the
police, local authorities, the NHS and government departments across three key
areas - Protection, Provision and Prevention.
These include:
- more than £13 million of funding to help support victims of sexual and domestic violence
- development of a national communications strategy designed to address attitudes towards VAWG among all members of the public
- increased investment delivering a four-fold increase in Family Intervention Projects to support 10,000 families a year
- the Training and Development Agency for Schools will address violence against women in the review of professional standards for teachers in 2010, to help ensure teachers have the skills they need to tackle violence against women and girls
- development of a dedicated stalking and harassment helpline so emerging violence can be nipped in the bud
- a new online directory of services for victims of violence against women and funding for new 24-hour sexual violence helpline
- the piloting of Domestic Violence Protection Orders - or ‘Go' orders - to exclude perpetrators from their homes and give victims space to apply for longer-term protection
- a Health Taskforce examining the role of the NHS in response to victims of violence against women and girls will publish recommendations in the new year
- development of a series of short films on violence against women and girls for patients on the NHS Choices website to supplement existing material on recognising domestic violence and seeking support.
Statement from the Prime
Minister
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: 'Violence
against women and girls is an obscenity. That is why we are taking action to
bring perpetrators to justice and protect and support victims, but also to
challenge the attitude that attacks on women and girls are in any way
acceptable. A fair and responsible Britain has no place for violence of any
sort.'
Statement from the Home
Secretary
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: ''Violence
against women and girls ruins lives, breaks up families and has a lasting
impact across the generations.
'Much has been done over recent years to
increase protection for women and to prosecute their attackers. However, this
is a complex problem which demands an even broader response to stop violence
from happening in the first place.
'Changing attitudes that tolerate violence
against women and girls will take time but is essential if we are to eradicate
this blight on women's lives'
Statement from the Minister
for Women and Equality
Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality
said: 'Tackling violence against women and girls is one of the Government's top
priorities. Since 1997 we've introduced specialist domestic violence courts;
given more money for rape crisis centres; and toughened the law. This has
contributed to a 64 per cent decrease in incidents of domestic violence, and a
50 per cent increase in rape convictions over the last ten years.
'But there is more to do, and it's vital that we
have a co-ordinated cross-government approach to combating all forms of
violence against women and girls. The ‘Together We Can End Violence Against
Women and Girls' strategy provides this, and its focus on prevention is
critical to long-term change.
'We have to work to change attitudes in order to
eliminate violence against women and girls and to make it clear beyond doubt
that any form of violence against women is unacceptable'.
Statement from the Secretary
of State for Children, Schools and Families
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and
Families Ed Balls said: 'Violence against women and girls is unacceptable and
we must do everything we can, together with the wider community, to stop it.
'We are committed to getting the message across
in schools that VAWG should not be tolerated. From 2011, gender equality and
preventing violence in relationships will be included in the statutory PSHE
curriculum. We are also asking the Training and Development Agency for Schools
to make sure that gender awareness and VAWG is included in a review of
Professional Standards for Teachers in 2010. This will help to ensure that
teachers have the skills and experience to tackle these issues effectively.
'However, we know that schools are only part of
the solution. We need to make sure that the most troubled families get the
support they need to stop problems from escalating. That is why we are
increasing investment in Family Intervention Projects and from 2012, 10,000
families per year with complex needs will get help to tackle difficult issues
such as domestic violence. Over 400 FIP workers have already been trained to
identify and respond to domestic violence and a recent evaluation showed that
they are helping to significantly improve the lives of vulnerable families,
including reducing incidences of domestic violence.'
Statement from the Chair of
the End Violence Against Women Coalition
Professor Liz Kelly, Chair of the End Violence
Against Women Coalition said; 'We are delighted that the government is
launching an integrated strategy on all forms of violence against women,
including rape, domestic violence, trafficking and forced marriage. We welcome
the focus on stopping violence before it starts through education and public
campaigns.
'When consulted on the strategy, women stressed
the importance of women-only services and places where they could seek support
in confidence. So it's vital that the strategy sustains and extends frontline
women's services, particularly as the vast majority of women still do not
report to the police.'
Statement from the Chief
Executive of Refuge
Sandra Horley OBE, Chief Executive of Refuge,
said: 'Refuge is pleased that the Government's new strategy focuses on
preventing violence against women and girls. This huge social issue will
only end when people are educated about why it happens and where they can get
help.
'Prevention will help in the long-term, but in
the meantime there is an urgent need for services for abused women and
children. Whilst we acknowledge that additional funding has been pledged,
much more will be needed if we are to reach every single woman and girl.
As it stands, one third of local authorities still provide no domestic violence
services whatsoever.'
Summary of Key Actions -
Department of Health
PREVENTION
Awareness raising, the media and communications
·
Launching this
activity in early 2010 with a campaign targeting violence within teenagers'
relationships run by the Home Office with support from the Department of Health
and the NSPCC.
· Develop
a series
of short films on sexual violence which will be made available to patients via
NHS Choices.
Early identification, early intervention
· Department of Health to take forward the recommendations
outlined in 'Towards a Violence and Abuse Prevention Framework' launched
in November 2008 to include working with stakeholders and delivery partners to
assist preventing violence and abuse, raising awareness of its health, social
and economic impacts as well as benefits in preventing violence.
· DCSF with the
support of the Home Office, the Department of Health and Ministry of Justice,
to increase investment in Family Intervention Projects, leading to an increase
in the number of families supported from 2,700 to 10,000 families per year by
2010/11.
PROVISION
Victims of VAWG have
access to services
· Publish new guidance
for PCTs on how best to commission services for victims of violence in line
with the World Class Commissioning framework
· To encourage NHS Trusts to give attention to VAWG, the Department of
Health will include tackling VAWG in the NHS Operating Framework.
· Department of
Health and Home Office will fast-track examination by the NHS and police, of
the feasibility of transferring budget and commissioning responsibility for
forensic sexual offences examination work to the NHS at the earliest
opportunity
- Home Office and Department of Health will double central investment in SARCs in 2010/11 making £3.2 million of pump priming funding available.
Quality
Services in every area
· Working with a
wide range of professional bodies and others to explore how VAWG could be included
in initial training for all frontline staff or in continuing professional
development. For healthcare staff this will be considered by the Health
Taskforce on VAWG.