Physical and sexual assaults against women and girls have become an “epidemic” in England and Wales, according to police, who have called for the same level of concern as terrorism and organised crime.
According to a report published by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), at least one in 12 women are subjected to violence every year, or 2 million women and at least one in 20 adults will be a perpetrator of this violence.
The report shows that there has been a 37% increase in rates of rape, domestic violence, stalking and harassment over the past five years, leading the UK Home Office to define VAWG as a “threat to national security”.
According to NPCC's lead on violence against women and girls, Maggie Blyth, the situation constitutes a “national emergency” in terms of its scale, complexity and impact on victims. She said the government must do more to tackle violence against women and girls.
Labour leader Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised that his government would reduce such violence by 50%. According to the report, there are five main threats that contribute to 3,000 crimes related to violence against women and girls every day.
Police in England and Wales recorded more than 100,000 cases of rape and other serious sexual offences in the 12 months to the end of March 2023, and 400,000 incidents of domestic abuse and harassment.
Despite rising levels of criminal activity, offenders are not always caught and, for those who are, only 4.4% of domestic violence cases result in a conviction. Jess Phillips, the Safeguarding Minister, described violence against women and girls as a threat to Britain's security and a national emergency.
Blyth reiterated the NPCC's willingness to combat this violence, as previously expressed by Home Secretary Michael Howard.
