The Labour government has embarked on an ambitious and formidable mission: to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within the next ten years. This pledge, made before last year's election, confronts a stubborn societal ill where many other crime rates have fallen. The scale of the challenge is underscored by recent figures showing 1.9% of people in England and Wales experienced sexual assault in the year to March 2025, with 82% of the victims being female.
A Cross-Government Challenge Amid Fiscal Constraints
Given this grim reality and the tight fiscal environment, the publication of the VAWG strategy was delayed. The issue does not sit within a single Whitehall department, spanning the Home Office, Justice, and Education. Jess Phillips, the minister responsible at the Home Office, must orchestrate a successful example of cross-government collaboration. The risk, however, is that the complexity leads to a lack of clear ownership and accountability.
Justice Secretary David Lammy has explicitly linked "toxic masculinity and violence". Consequently, prevention is a cornerstone of the new plan. Initiatives include introducing new "healthy relationships" content into the school curriculum and creating referral pathways for boys displaying harmful attitudes. A national summit on the challenges facing men and boys is scheduled for next year.
Beyond Prevention: The Justice System Backlog
While educational measures are welcomed, they cannot become a distraction from the immediate need to police and prosecute offenders, most of whom are adult men. A critical barrier is the state of the justice system. Huge backlogs in crown court cases mean some victims of sexual violence wait years for a trial date, risking the collapse of cases if victims or witnesses withdraw.
In the family courts, where many domestic abuse allegations are heard, problems are exacerbated by a lack of legal aid and the use of unregulated experts. The promised £550m funding increase for victim support services is a tangible gain, but systemic reform is urgently needed.
Key Measures and Sector Concerns
Two practical steps have been advanced: the national rollout of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders and a pledge to recruit more specialist police officers. The appointment of Anne Longfield to chair the national inquiry into grooming gangs also allows that process to begin.
However, significant concerns shadow these developments. The strategy reportedly lacks a dedicated budget, leaving ministers to explain how existing resources will be stretched. Furthermore, feedback from the women's sector points to a lack of meaningful consultation in the strategy's formation, a dismaying note for those on the frontline.
Labour set itself this mammoth task with its manifesto promise of radical change. The strategy's emphasis on prevention is a necessary long-term vision, but it must be matched by immediate, well-funded action in policing and justice. Ministers must now follow through on their bold promise, ensuring that the fight against violence towards women and girls is not hampered by delay, underfunding, or bureaucratic confusion.
