Leaders meet to combat violence against women and girls

The prime minister has convened a meeting of leaders in Downing Street to discuss actions to be taken to keep women and girls safe at night.

Reiterating the commitment to halve violence against women and girls, the prime minister has called on police chiefs, industry executives and transport bosses to work together.

He also announced plans to make spiking a specific criminal offence, which it is hoped will send a clear signal that this is a crime and empower victims to report offences and give them confidence the justice system will support them.

As part of this new action, the prime minister will push for coordinated action across the police, transport network and venues. This will include training thousands of staff working in the nighttime economy on how to spot and tackle spiking.

With a pilot beginning in December, the training will equip staff with the skills they need to prevent incidents, support victims and help police collect evidence. This will then be rolled out to up to 10,000 bar staff across the country by spring next year.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "My government was elected on a pledge to take back our streets, and we will never achieve this if women and girls do not feel safe at night.

"Today, I will bring together police chiefs, heads of industry and transport bosses to demand coordinated action to stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply travelling home.

"Cracking down on spiking is central to that mission.

"We know it can be incredibly difficult for victims to come forward to report this awful crime, and these cases can be very hard to prosecute. We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice.

"That is why I made a promise that, if elected, I would make spiking a new criminal offence. Today, I am proud to have come good on that pledge."

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: "Spiking is a disturbing and serious crime which can have a damaging and long-lasting impact on victims.

"That’s why today we are taking decisive action to prevent this devastating crime and to crack down on perpetrators, by introducing a new criminal offence for spiking and launching specialist training for thousands of bar staff nationwide.

"People shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinks on a night out. These changes are about giving victims greater confidence to come forward, and ensuring that there is a robust response from the police whenever this appalling crimes take place."

At the meeting, chief constable Jason Hogg, from Thames Valley Police talked about how his force has deployed plain clothed officers into areas around bars and clubs to spot predatory sexual behaviour - this tactic is now being used by over 20 forces across England and Wales.

Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi, from British Transport Police highlighted work being undertaken to keep women safe using public transport, including relaunching the text-to-report number, 61016.

Chief Constable Maggie Blyth the NPCC lead for VAWG discussed the ongoing scale and threat of violence against women and girls, its prevalence in the night-time economy and what policing needs to tackle offenders and reduce the number of victims enduring abuse.

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said: "Christmas should be a time for celebration and community but all too often perpetrators of vile crimes like spiking take advantage of festivities to target women and girls.

"As a society we cannot accept that, and this government is taking firm action to keep them safe - from creating a new criminal offence of spiking to working hand-in-hand with police and business to crack down on this behaviour.

"These are just some of the steps that will allow us to achieve our aim of halving violence against women and girls."

The meeting came ahead of the global 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence.

Meanwhile, Scottish first minister John Swinney has highlighted the importance of engaging and educating young people on the importance of healthy and respectful relationships.

Attending an awareness event in Perth on Friday, Swinney said: "First Minister John Swinney said:

“Gender-based abuse and violence has no place in modern Scotland and we are committed to eradicating it.

“As First Minister, but also as a husband and a father, I am proud to support the 16 Days of Activism campaign and recognise the vital role that men need to play in tackling violence against women and girls, including challenging abusive behaviour wherever it occurs.

“The Scottish theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism is “Imagine a Scotland without Gender-Based Violence”, and the only way we can realise that is by ensuring the next generation are equipped to spot abusive behaviour and call it out."

Organisations across Scotland have received funding through the Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe programme, which has been used to prevent abuse and support survivors.

Scottish equalities minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Our focus is on preventing abuse before it occurs, as well as improving support services for survivors and ensuring the justice response is robust and well-equipped to deal with abuse when it occurs.

“The work that grassroots organisations across the country are delivering to teach young people about consent and healthy relationships and empower them to stand against harmful gender stereotypes is vital. We are determined to help them build on that progress.

“This is at the heart of building the kind of society we want to see, where everyone can live free from gender-based violence.”

Meanwhile, the Welsh Government has called on men to take a stand as allies to end violence against women and girls.

25th November is White Ribbon Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism.

Between 2018 and 2023, recorded incidents of violence against women and girls increased by 37 per cent in Wales.

The 'Sound' campaign engages with young men and boys across Wales about respect and accountability and tackles issues like gaslighting and coercive control. Using positive role models to promote healthy, respectful relationships, it has reached over 95 per cent of young men in Wales.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said: "Every woman has the right to live free from fear, violence, and exploitation. Violence against women and girls is not inevitable - it is preventable.

"Our Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy sets out a commitment to make early intervention and prevention a priority, and to encourage those who may go on to commit abusive behaviour to change.

"The Sound campaign encourages men aged 18-34 in Wales to learn about gender-based violence and to think about their own behaviours. It is not for women to modify their behaviour; it is for men and boys to reflect on their own and make changes."