End postcode lottery of support for violence against women victims

The Mayor must commit funding to ensure specialist support services for victims of violence against women and girls are available and accessible for everyone who needs them in London, ending the postcode lottery of provision.

The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee launched an investigation on tackling violence against women and girls in response to the murders of Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, Sabina Nessa, and many other women in the capital.

An open mic meeting with victims and survivors’ groups identified that long-term and sustainable funding for support services remains an issue. This support is important for the response to violence against women and girls, but also for prevention.

The open mic meeting also confirmed that the Metropolitan Police needs to work harder to demonstrate what it is doing to rebuild the trust and confidence of all Londoners in the wake of a series of high-profile scandals.

The Committee heard that “overwhelmingly, women have no trust and confidence in the police” while those with poor mental health, migrant women with insecure status, LGBT+ communities, and disabled women face additional barriers when coming forward to officers.

Ahead of a further meeting on the topic, the Committee has today published a report making a series of recommendations to ensure London is safe for women and girls. The recommendations include:

• The Mayor must commit to funding to ensure that specialist support services are available and accessible for every woman and girl in London that needs them.
• The Met must listen to and learn from the conversation now taking place on violence against women and girls, and actively seek and respond to feedback from partners and communities on its violence against women and girls action plan.
• The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime should commission specific research to examine the barriers that prevent victims from reporting offences, to better understand the scale of under-reporting in London.
• The Mayor must set clear and measurable violence against women and girls targets in both his Police and Crime Plan and renewed Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

Chairman of the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, Susan Hall AM, said:



“The stories of harassment and fear shared by thousands of women and girls following the tragic murders of Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, and Sabina Nessa were a wake-up call that more needs to be done in making London a safer city.



“The Metropolitan Police and the Mayor are right in making it a priority to tackle the horrific harassment, abuse and violence women and girls face in our city – but more can be done.



“We believe that increasing women’s confidence in the Met and improving outcomes for victims will be crucial in ensuring the success of these plans and moving forward in tackling violence against women and girls in our city.”