Violence against women: Top police role to be announced

A top police officer will be put in charge of tackling violence against women and girls in England and Wales, the home secretary is to announce.

The creation of the role was recommended in a report after 33-year-old Sarah Everard was murdered in March.

Her death sparked a public debate about women's safety.

The new national policing lead is part of a broader strategy to deliver "lasting change", Priti Patel said.

It comes amid concern about record low rape conviction rates and a culture of sexual harassment in schools.

Ms Patel said the new policing lead would "drive change" to end "abhorrent abuse and violence" against women and girls.

"Every aspect of policing and criminal justice system must have a determined approach to ending violence against women and girls," she said.

She added that the new post would "bring together the incredible work of police officers around the country and create a consistent response to ending these appalling crimes".

The government will publish its full plans to tackle violence against women and girls later.

They include a 24-hour rape and sexual assault helpline, £5m of funding to tackle violence in public places at night, and an online tool where women and girls can log areas where they have felt unsafe.

Women's groups, which responded to the government's consultation following the death of Sarah Everard, have been calling for new legislation on sexual harassment in public places.

Asked if that would be introduced, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the government was "looking very, very carefully at this".

She said there were existing offences which already covered some behaviours - but people needed to understand these behaviours were already illegal. Police officers did not always understand that these offences "can and should be prosecuted", she added.

Pressed further on whether she was saying the laws were already there - or the government was open to changing its mind, she replied: "Genuinely both."

Ms Atkins said she hoped a public message campaign would help women understand the law better and shape attitudes among men who "think it's ok to behave like that".

But Labour's shadow Home Office minister Jess Phillips accused the government of completely failing to keep women and girls safe with their successive strategies - and said it should "step up to the plate and take action".

"How are we in a situation where we have better protections for statues than for women?" she asked.

Are you scared to walk home alone at night? Have you been sexually harassed, abused or assaulted? Most women would answer yes to these questions.

Violence against women has always been an issue. But in March the murder of Sarah Everard brought acute distress and anger. It changed the idea that women would remain silent about their experiences.

And the launch of Everyone's Invited, where schoolgirls and students spoke out about their sexual assaults and rapes, shone a much needed light on what women were facing.

The government's reaction to this is, sensibly, to take a comprehensive approach trying to improve policing, transport, education, victim support and offender management.

But the scale of the problem and the lack of justice women face means solutions need to be on a grand scale.

Plans including a few more million pounds to protect women out at night, an advertising campaign and a promise to look at new laws don't feel like enough to make an immediate difference.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners said it welcomed the "whole system approach to tackling violence" but added it would "only succeed with sustainable funding".

"It is tragic that it took the murder of Sarah Everard for society to recognise that violence against women and girls is an epidemic in this country," said Sophie Linden and Donna Jones, victims leads.

"We want all victims to feel safe coming forward to report, knowing that the police will listen and confident that justice will be served."

Ms Everard's death sparked vigils and protests calling for more action to tackle violence against women.

It prompted the government to reopen its Call for Evidence to inform its strategy, which was originally launched last December.

The 33-year-old was abducted by serving police officer Wayne Couzens as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham on 3 March. He has admitted murdering her.

Last month, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland admitted in an interview with the BBC that budget cuts were partly to blame for record low rape conviction rates.

In the year to the end of March 2020, 58,856 cases of rape were recorded by police forces in England and Wales.

These led to just 2,102 prosecutions, compared with 3,043 in the previous 12 months.

And in recent months, the Everyone's Invited website has revealed a culture of sexual harassment among some school students.

Support and resources for sexual abuse and violence are available via the BBC Action Line.

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