Concerns raised over government strategy to tackle violence against women and girls
Fiona Lansdowne calls for better funding and holistic approaches
The government’s recently published strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, aiming to halve domestic abuse cases in the next decade, has sparked concerns from campaigners and experts in the field.
Fiona Lansdowne, chair of Wiltshire’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls coalition (EVAWG), has voiced worries over insufficient funding and the complexity of the issue.
The Marchioness of Lansdowne welcomed the publication of the strategy but described it as a "scattergun approach" that fails to address the multifaceted nature of violence against women and girls.
She said: "Domestic abuse and violence against women and girls is a multifaceted crime, and there are so many different aspects to it and it's not going to be easy to fix this.
"I admire that they're trying, but I just worry that every government comes along with a new strategy, lessons are not learned from things in the past, and it all sounds good, but will it actually happen?"
In December 2025, the Government announced its long-awaited plan for tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG).
The Government aims to slash cases by half in the next decade, with it's strategy leading on educating young people on healthy relationships.
Funding and inconsistency
Lady Lansdowne highlighted funding as a critical issue, warning that organisations such as Refuge and FearFree face instability due to short-term commissioning cycles.
The local authority will commission these services for two years, but Fiona said that much of that time can be spent worrying about whether they will be renewed again.
She says this uncertainty undermines the ability of these vital services to retain skilled staff and plan for long-term support.
"The government needs to provide core funding that is permanent," she said, referring to a recent case of Salisbury refuge, which could close unless it secures ÂŁ20,000 within two months.
Education and societal change
While praising the government’s focus on educating young people about healthy relationships, Lansdowne cautioned that schools already face significant pressures.
She suggested that funding specialists to deliver relationship education would help ensure its effectiveness.
"I worry that the schools that have already got so much on their plate and the teachers having to get the specialist knowledge I if the government are going to fund specialists to go into the schools and to to take those those classes, I think that would help hugely," she told us.
However, Lady Lansdowne emphasised that societal change is needed to prevent abuse, insisting that we can't be reliant on what happens in the classroom.
She stated: "Children need positive role models, and that’s a major problem. It’s a national issue that requires collective action—not something that cash alone can solve."
She concluded: "We need to make abuse unacceptable. This is everyone’s problem and requires action from all parts of society. While some influencers have a negative impact on young people, we need good role models to stand up and say enough is enough."
Lady Lansdowne stressed that charities and organisations supporting survivors of abuse must be adequately funded to avoid being overwhelmed by referrals. She warned that failing to address these systemic issues risks creating cycles of abuse.
Justice reform and police response
Lady Lansdowne also raised concerns over delays in legal processes, explaining that victims often withdraw their cases due to long waits for court hearings or perceived lack of police response.
"People are not reporting crimes because they think no one will listen," she said, calling for stronger sentencing laws and faster justice system reforms to deter perpetrators and ensure consequences.
In the year ending March 2025, it was revealed by Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, that reports of stalking and sexual offences had risen in the county, suggesting a growing confidence in the Force to handle them appropriately.
Speaking when the figures were released in July 2025, Mr Wilkinson said: “While any increase in stalking, harassment, or sexual offences is concerning, it’s important to recognise that rising numbers can also reflect improved awareness, better recording practices, and growing confidence in the support systems available.
“We’ve worked hard to build trust in our services—whether that’s through training frontline officers and staff, funding specialist support roles, or improving access to services. The fact that more individuals are coming forward may indicate that those efforts are beginning to resonate."