Violence Against Women and Girls strategy 2022 to 2027

Executive summary

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is the umbrella term used to describe a range of violent and abusive acts and behaviours, which are predominantly, but not exclusively, directed against women and girls.

This term is used to describe abuse against all genders but highlights the disproportionate impact on women and girls.

There are multiple forms of violence against women and girls, whether physical, sexual, psychological, or economic. It can include violence in public places, such as sexual harassment, or within the private sphere such as intimate partner violence, which can often lead to homicide.

Two women are killed every week by a partner or ex-partner in the UK.

Some forms of violence are technology-based, such as internet stalking, or driven by economic factors such as international trafficking of women and girls. Others are the result of harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, and virginity testing.

These abuses can differ in how they are experienced, but all are the result of the misuse of power and control.

The local picture - what we already know?

It’s estimated that:

23,285 women in H&F have experienced domestic abuse at some point in their life
2,983 women living in H&F have undergone FGM (it is not known where the FGM took place)
15,523 women in H&F have experienced stalking or harassment.

In 2020 to 2021 there were over 1,000 referrals to Angelou VAWG services that support victims and survivors - over 50% of survivors had children.

Our approach

We take a coordinated community response (CCR) to ending violence against women and girls and ask everyone to take responsibility. The CCR requires us not only to respond appropriately within our own agencies, but also to work together with other organisations.

Our approach is also based on the ecological model on violence prevention. The ecological model looks at developing interventions across multiple levels - the individual, the community, the institutional and societal.

When working closely across these levels, we are able to address the wider context in which violence against women and girls happens and make wider cultural change.

Our objectives

Objective 1: VAWG is prevented
Objective 2: Survivors are supported
Objective 3: Abusers are held to account
Objective 4: Collaboration to create change

Conclusion

Together we can end violence against women and girls.”

We are determined to end violence against women and girls and believe that this can be done best if we work in partnership and as part of our coordinated community response.

This strategy sets out the role we can all play in responding to and ending violence against women and girls. We welcome professionals, residents, and survivors to join us in achieving our 4 objectives. Together, we can work to make our borough safer for everyone who is living, studying, working, and travelling in H&F.

Our strategy

Read the full VAWG strategy: