'Real commitment' needed to tackle violence against women and girls, says West Mercia Women's Aid
The National Audit Office (NAO) say violence against women and girls is a "significant and growing problem" affecting one in 12 women
Last updated 4th Feb 2025
Government efforts in recent years to address violence against women and girls (VAWG) have not improved outcomes for victims, according to the spending watchdog.
The National Audit Office (NAO) say VAWG is a "significant and growing problem" affecting one in 12 women.
It added that the Home Office - the main department in charge of work to tackle it - "is not currently leading an effective cross-government response."
Sue Coleman is the chief executive of West Mercia Women's Aid - a group which supports victims of domestic abuse, she says the news doesn't come as a shock.
"It's no surprise," she said.
"We already know that funding is inadequate, there are insufficient refuges, there are insufficient services."
One of the key pledges by Labour when they came into Government last summer was to halve VAWG in the next decade, but the NAO said that to meet this target the Home Office "will need to lead a coordinated, whole-system response that addresses the causes of VAWG."
Sue says she welcomes the government's pledge to tackling the issue and it's important to work together to achieve that goal.
"We were really pleased with that very bold ambition to halve violence against women and girls during the lifetime of this Government, and it's brilliant that continues to be a very high level of commitment.
"Actually doing something to halve violence against women and girls isn't only going to be solved by money, it's going to be solved by a real commitment across the board.
"It's vital to call out any kind of attitude or behaviour that's designed to make women and girls feel uncomfortable."
A Home Office spokesperson said the report had looked at the previous government's "failure to deliver systemic change", and vowed that Labour was "delivering a step-change in the Government's response."
They said: "Over the last six months, we have wasted no time in taking action to better protect victims and pursue perpetrators.
This includes launching new domestic abuse protection orders, starting the roll-out of domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms, strengthening the police response to spiking and stalking, and pioneering a truly cross-government approach to tackling these issues.
"We will not stop until we have a system that protects victims, supports their journey to justice and holds perpetrators to account."