Context: three governments, one ongoing challenge
Since 2010, the UK has pursued multiple policy cycles aimed at reducing violence against women and girls (VAWG). Three successive governments embraced distinct strategies, each promising to break a cycle of harm, with a refresh in between. The overarching aim was clear: to improve safeguarding, improve prosecution and conviction rates for perpetrators, and ensure better support for survivors. Yet, more than a decade later, police and domestic abuse leaders describe a persistent, systemic challenge. The conversation around VAWG is no longer solely about isolated incidents but about structural change in culture, policing, health services, and justice pathways.
Jess Phillips’ enduring message: talking about the hard truths
Jess Phillips has consistently pushed for frank conversations about how violence against women and girls manifests, both overtly and insidiously. In interviews and public appearances, she has argued that certain behaviours—such as strangulation—should not be normalized as “just part of” intimate life or sexual relations. Her stance underscores a broader policy question: how do we translate tough talk into concrete protections and consistent practices across all frontline services?
What the policy record shows from 2010 to now
The policy arc since 2010 has included dedicated VAWG strategies, criminal justice reforms, and funding lines aimed at prevention and support. Governments promised tougher investigations of domestic abuse, better data collection, and multi-agency safeguarding. A recurring theme has been the tension between ambitious targets and practical delivery on the ground: police response times, safety planning, refuge capacity, and long-term support for survivors. Critics argue that while strategies have elevated awareness, the outcomes for many survivors remain uneven across regions, and perpetrators frequently escape with limited or inconsistent accountability.
Key areas of reform often highlighted by officials
- Prevention and education: school and community programs aimed at changing attitudes toward gender-based violence.
- Support systems: refuges, hotlines, and trauma-informed care that are accessible and survivor-centred.
- Criminal justice pathway: faster investigations, improved evidence gathering, and more robust prosecutions for VAWG offences, including strangulation and coercive control.
- Data and accountability: better collection and public reporting to track progress and identify gaps.
2024: police chiefs’ perspective on scale and persistence
In 2024, police leadership publicly acknowledged that violence against women and girls remains a pervasive problem. Leaders described the scale of VAWG as a continuing crisis, with complex contributing factors—from restraint and coercive control to newer patterns of online abuse. This candid assessment emphasizes that policy shifts, while essential, must be matched with sustained operational improvements. Survivors still report barriers in accessing help, reporting abuse, and obtaining consistent support through the criminal justice system.
Where progress has been genuine—and where it falters
There are areas where policy effort has led to measurable improvements: increased awareness of coercive control as a criminal offence; strategic funding for victims’ services; and the establishment of more coordinated safeguarding networks. Yet fault lines remain. Inconsistencies in local service delivery, resource constraints, and the challenging nature of some cases (such as those involving strangulation, which require precise forensic and medical responses) have limited the reach of reforms. The public debate reflects a broader question: how can policy become everyday practice for police, judges, health workers, educators, and communities?
Looking ahead: lessons for policy and practice
To translate policy into safer communities, experts and advocates argue for a multi-layered approach. This includes sustained funding for prevention, rigorous training for first responders, and clearer prosecution guidelines that reflect contemporary abuse dynamics. It also means centering survivor voices in reform design, ensuring that services adapt to evolving risk environments, including digital abuse and coercive control across relationships. The ongoing conversation around VAWG will likely hinge on clear accountability, transparent data, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about gender-based violence in society.
Conclusion: a national imperative
Jess Phillips’ insistence on naming hard truths about violence against women and girls aligns with a policy landscape that has made progress in一些 areas but still struggles with consistency and reach. The Biden-esque translation of policy into practice requires a durable, survivor-centred framework that persists beyond brief political cycles. As police chiefs flag ongoing scale and complexity in 2024, the imperative remains: keep policy grounded in lived experience, fund the necessary support systems, and ensure that no survivor is left navigating the aftermath of violence alone.
