A police watchdog has warned that women and girls are being subjected to an epidemic of violence that requires a “radical and bold” shift in how authorities in England and Wales tackle crimes that disproportionately affect female victims.
“In an interim report, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has called for councils, schools, health and social care bodies and all areas of the criminal justice system to work together to address the problem, as police “cannot solve this alone”,” The Guardian said.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that about 1.6 million women experienced domestic abuse in the 12 months to March 2020, as well as the 153,136 rape and other sexual offences recorded by police, in which the victim was female in 84% of cases.
Her Majesty’s inspector of constabulary, Zoë Billingham, said: “We are living during a national epidemic of violence against women and girls. The prevalence and range of offending and harm is stark and shocking. We are clear that the police have made great progress over the last decade against a backdrop of greater demand, and we want forces to maintain this momentum and build on these improvements. But there is still evidence of inconsistent support for victims and low prosecution rates.
“Offending against women and girls is deep-rooted and pervasive in our society. Urgent action is needed to uproot and address this and police cannot solve this alone. There must be a seamless approach to preventing and tackling violence against women and girls across the whole system, including education, local authorities, health, social care and those from across the criminal justice system – with all agencies working together.”
Sarah Jones, the shadow minister for policing and the fire service, said: “HMICFRS’s report is clear. There is a crime ‘epidemic’ against women and girls, and ‘fundamental system-wide change is needed’ to address it. This is damming and sadly predictable, after devastating Conservative cuts to policing. Tackling violence against women and girls must be a top priority in both legislation and in national and local government strategies.”
