Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images

Terrifying ‘Epidemic’ of Violence Against Women Is Spiraling Out of Control

London, Jan 31, 2025 — A government initiative aimed at combating violence against women and girls (VAWG) has been deemed unsuccessful by the National Audit Office (NAO), raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of current policies. The strategy, developed in response to the tragic murders of Sarah Everard and Sabine Nessa, has failed to produce meaningful improvements despite substantial financial investments.

The NAO report highlights that despite spending millions, the outcomes for victims of VAWG have not improved, with an “epidemic” of violence continuing to escalate. The report underscores that VAWG remains a “significant and growing problem,” affecting one in twelve women, and criticizes the Home Office for not leading an effective cross-government response, reported by the Independent.

“VAWG is a significant and growing problem affecting one in 12 women,” the NAO stated, emphasizing that the Home Office’s efforts have been fragmented and ineffective. The report pointed out that the Home Office had difficulty securing buy-in from other government departments, with a ministerial oversight group meeting only four times in three years.

This failure comes at a critical time as Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to halve VAWG within the next decade. However, the NAO cautioned that achieving this target requires a coordinated, whole-system approach that addresses both the causes and consequences of violence against women and girls.

The statistics presented by the NAO are alarming. In the year 2022/23 alone, over one million violent crimes against women and girls were recorded by police in England and Wales, accounting for nearly 20 percent of all police-recorded crimes excluding fraud. Additionally, the prevalence of sexual assault against women aged 16 to 59 rose to 4.3 percent in 2023-24, up from 3.4 percent in 2009-10. Incidents of rape and sexual assault surged from 34,000 to 123,000 during the same period, though the NAO noted that improved reporting may partly explain this increase.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, commented: “Government’s efforts to tackle violence against women and girls have not yet improved outcomes for the victims of these crimes. The lack of an effective, cross-government approach and a limited understanding of what works to help reduce these crimes means the Home Office cannot be confident that government is doing the best it can to keep women and girls safe.”

Baroness Newlove, Victims’ Commissioner, echoed these sentiments, stating: “The government’s target to halve VAWG within the next decade is welcome, commendable, and necessary – but as this report makes clear, there remains a critical lack of understanding about what truly works. We know we cannot simply police our way out of this crisis; an effective strategy will require coordinated action across all sectors, with a shared vision underpinned by strong leadership from the center.”

In response to the NAO’s findings, a Home Office spokesperson acknowledged the shortcomings of the previous strategy, describing it as a “failure to deliver systemic change.” The spokesperson assured that the Labor government is committed to a “step-change” in addressing VAWG, highlighting initiatives such as new domestic abuse protection orders, the rollout of domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms, and a strengthened police response to spiking and stalking.

Despite these assurances, critics remain skeptical about the government’s ability to implement the necessary changes effectively. The NAO’s report serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for a comprehensive and unified approach to tackling violence against women and girls in the UK.

Meanwhile, The Independent continues to advocate for robust journalism to shed light on critical issues, urging readers to support their efforts through donations. “Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story,” the publication emphasized, underscoring the importance of unbiased reporting in times of national crisis.

As the government faces mounting pressure to revamp its VAWG strategy, the call for a more integrated and informed approach grows louder, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for collaboration and evidence-based policies to effectively reduce violence and support victims.

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