A parliamentary debate on Wednesday, November 27, brought together voices across the political spectrum to address violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Hosted by Aspana Begum, the Independent MP for Poplar and Limehouse, the discussion underscored the gravity of the issue and the urgency of a collective response.
Claire Young, the Liberal Democrat MP for Thornbury and Yate, drew attention to the troubling misuse of family courts by perpetrators of abuse.
She shared her constituents’ concerns, saying: “Constituents have made me aware of problems when the family courts have not understood that they can be used to perpetuate the abuse of the violent partner. Does the hon. Member agree that we need greater understanding in the family court system so that people fleeing violence do not see that abuse continue?”
In agreement, Ms Begum emphasised the role of parliamentarians in addressing such issues. “The law is often used and misused by perpetrators to further the suffering of their victims,” she remarked, urging her colleagues to better understand the family court system’s complexities.
Labour MP for Gloucester, Alex McIntrye, brought a stark reminder of the global and local dimensions of VAWG. Reflecting on White Ribbon Day, he stated: “Every 10 minutes a woman is killed by a partner or family member somewhere in the world, and in the UK a woman is killed by an abusive partner every five days.”
He described the situation in Gloucester, where domestic abuse and sexual assault had reached record levels. Highlighting his efforts, Mr McIntrye said: “Earlier this month, I held a roundtable with local organisations, to discuss how we can tackle violence against women and girls, domestic abuse, and stalking in Gloucester.”
Acknowledging government measures to combat these issues, including new laws on workplace harassment and stalking, he called for collective action. “Together, we can create a society where women and girls are no longer subjected to fear, abuse or violence,” he said.
Sarah Dyke, Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, spotlighted the alarming rise in assaults on women using public transport. She said: “Violence against women and girls on trains has risen by 50%, and figures from the British Transport Police show that over a third of women using the rail system are likely to be assaulted.”
Calling for systemic reforms, she argued for a holistic approach to enhance safety and accountability. “Does my hon. Friend agree that a more holistic system is needed to deal with the problem and to help the British Transport Police, as well as increase the perception of safety on our rail network overall?” she asked.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, Jess Phillips, acknowledged the scale of the challenge. Stressing the need for action saying: “A cross-Government strategy must not be just a piece of paper that sits on a shelf. It has to be targeted, and it has to have the will of everybody.”
Reflecting on the Angiolini review following Sarah Everard’s tragic death, Ms Phillips criticised the inadequate handling of non-contact sexual offences by the police. “Frankly, it is not good enough, is it? It is woeful,” she said, sharing her experience of a recent case. She also talked of the need to study the potential escalation of non-contact sexual violence to physical violence.
Ending on a hopeful note, Ms Phillips shared an emotional moment: “I wanted to cry today when I was with the police force in south London and the first domestic abuse protection order was handed out. The police officer was so delighted, and I felt like a new dawn was coming.”