Labour has published a Green Paper on how to end the epidemic of violence against women and girls, following the Government’s failure to take sufficient action in either its Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill or the Queen’s Speech, and amid public concern that not enough is being done.
The plans including making misogyny a hate crime, toughening existing sentences for perpetrators of rape and stalking, creating new specific offences for street sexual harassment and the practice of landlords asking for sex in lieu of rent, as well as introducing bold measures to reverse record low conviction rates for rape.
The wide-ranging, cross-departmental approach sets out a long-term response to tackling the misogyny that underpins the abuse women and girls face at home, in the street, at school, college and university, in the workplace, and online.
It would be strengthened by binding measures to hold the Government to account and ensure progress is made, building on legislation brought in by the Welsh Labour Government.
However, this is only the beginning. As we build on this strategy, we want to hear you views on what can be done to galvanise the national effort to eliminate violence against women and girls.
Please submit responses to [email protected]