Assembly wants stronger response to violence against women and girls

A United Nations study found that “more than five women or girls were killed every hour by someone in their own family in 2021” ^[1].

The London Assembly commends the Mayor for the preventive approach that London has taken to tackling violence against women and girls, as seen in the ‘Have a Word’ campaign.

Aiming to eradicate the violence that women in London face, the Assembly is today calling on the Mayor to strengthen the institutional response to violence against women and girls.

It is urging him write to the Home Secretary to call for a Domestic Abusers register and to make misogyny a hate crime.

A campaign for a Domestic Abuse register began in the London Assembly in 2017, while it also passed a motion in 2021 on making misogyny a hate crime.

Sakina Sheikh AM, who proposed the motion said:

“It is clear we need serious action to end violence against women and girls in our society.

“With domestic violence and sexual offences on the rise is clear much more is needed to tackle it. That is why we are calling for a Domestic Abusers register and making misogyny a hate crime.

“We must see police officers better trained to support victims of domestic abuse, and ensure our criminal justice system does not fail victims.

“Everyday normalised sexism must be tackled head on. The Mayor’s recent ‘Have a Word’ campaign highlights how the role men can take as allies in tackling misogyny and preventing violence is essential.

“But robust action is needed from the Government to protect women and girls in the form of a Domestic Abusers register, building on the Assembly’s work on this since 2017.”

The full text of the motion is:

The Assembly notes the theme for International Women’s Day 2023 which we recently marked, is embracing equity. We note that it also marks a call to action to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and girls (VAWG).

The Assembly recognises that violence against women and girls is a scourge on our society. A UN study published in November last year starkly demonstrated this when it showed that “more than five women or girls were killed every hour by someone in their own family in 2021”. We cannot address VAWG without taking a whole society approach. This means a preventative public health response alongside a robust policing and institutional response. The Assembly commends the Mayor for the preventive approach London has taken in tackling VAWG as seen in the ‘Have a Word’ campaign and our attempt to tackle misogyny before it turns into violence.

The Assembly notes that the campaign for a Domestic Abuse register began in the Assembly in 2017 following a report, and a cross-party motion calling on the Mayor to write to the Home Secretary asking her to introduce a register for those convicted of a domestic abuse related offence, equivalent to that used for sexual offender. The Assembly notes that it also passed a motion in 2021 on making misogyny a hate crime. We resolve to restate our strong support for both.

The Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor to similarly strengthen our institutional response to VAWG and to write to the Home Secretary to call for a Domestic Abusers register and to make misogyny a hate crime. While we understand these legislative changes are not the whole solution, we believe they are important tools in helping addresses VAWG and hopefully to eradicate the terrible violence that women in our city and country face.