Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

UK Government Criticized for Failing to Grasp Scale of Violence Against Women

MPs demand urgent reforms in data collection, prevention strategies, and funding as grassroots services struggle to meet soaring demand.

Image
Image
A protester displays a large red handprint across her face during the Women in Cambridge march highlighting the fact that violence against women and girls has increased since 2018. Photo: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy
Image

Overview

  • The Public Accounts Committee has warned that the UK government underestimates the prevalence of violence against women and girls, with one in 12 women affected annually and one in five recorded crimes linked to such violence.
  • Refuges and community services are overwhelmed, with 65% of refuge requests and nearly half of other support requests turned away due to underfunding and rising demand.
  • The Home Office’s data collection excludes key crime types and under-16 victims, despite evidence that those aged 11–20 are at the highest risk of victimization or perpetration.
  • MPs criticized the government’s reactive approach, emphasizing the need for prevention-focused policies, including education for boys to counter harmful online misogynistic content.
  • The government has pledged to review the committee’s recommendations and will unveil a cross-departmental Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy this summer, with prevention as a key focus.