Recommendations & Conclusions
11 items
7
Recommendation
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
We are concerned that government departments’ approach to tech–enabled violence against women and girls is not sufficiently agile to address the threats posed by online harm. Tech–enabled VAWG is a rapidly evolving threat. For example, in 2024 the revenge porn helpline received 22,000 cases, compared with 521 in 2015. The …
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We are concerned that government departments’ approach to tech–enabled violence against women and girls is not sufficiently agile to address the threats posed by online harm. Tech–enabled VAWG is a rapidly evolving threat. For example, in 2024 the revenge porn helpline received 22,000 cases, compared with 521 in 2015. The Online Safety Act, introduced in October 2023, was designed to ensure that people are protected from harmful online content, notably children and young people. The Act legislates the removal of harmful content from social media platforms. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) 7 is the sponsoring department for the Online Safety Act and is responsible for investigating how the design of online platforms can contribute to or mitigate such violence. As of 16 March 2025, service providers must have completed their risk assessments for illegal content which assessing the risk of users encountering illegal content or, of the platforms being used to commit or facilitate an offence. The Committee welcomes these efforts to try and address some of the evolving threats emerging from technological advancements, as it is clear that social media can play a significant role in shaping the attitudes of young people. However, the Committee is concerned that departments’ reactive approach to tackling this issue may not sufficiently protect those at risk compared with focusing on reducing the production and possession of the harmful content in the first instance. We did not hear convincing evidence that DfE is yet taking a sufficiently proactive role in educating young people, especially boys, on the dangers on exposure to harmful online content, and how this can lead to misogynistic attitudes. recommendation a. In six months’ time, DSIT should write to the Committee outlining the impact that the Online Safety Act has had on improving the safety of children and young people online, and the role it is expected to play in preventing VAWG in the l
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Government response AI summary
The government states the recommendation is implemented and describes the Department for Education's existing work on online safety in schools through statutory safeguarding guidance, filtering standards, and the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum, which is under review. However, the response does not commit …
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HM Treasury
13
Recommendation
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
The Home Office spent £149 million from April 2021 to the end of September 2024 tackling VAWG, with other government departments spending around £979 million over the period April 2021 to March 2024.28 However, the NAO found that throughout the 2021 VAWG Strategy, the Home Office did not have a …
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The Home Office spent £149 million from April 2021 to the end of September 2024 tackling VAWG, with other government departments spending around £979 million over the period April 2021 to March 2024.28 However, the NAO found that throughout the 2021 VAWG Strategy, the Home Office did not have a full understanding of the cross–government spend committed to tackling VAWG, or centrally coordinate funding. In contrast with the 2021 illegal drugs strategy, the relevant departments did not prepare a joint spending review bid.29
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Government response AI summary
The government agreed with the recommendation, but deferred specific action on coordinating cross-government VAWG spending until after departmental budget allocations are finalised post-Spending Review, committing to update the Committee by Autumn 2025.
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HM Treasury
14
Recommendation
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
We asked the Home Office about the potential implications of this on how well it can prioritise efforts and ensure that work is not being duplicated. The Home Office agreed it did not have a comprehensive account of exactly what government departments are spending on tackling VAWG, but told us …
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We asked the Home Office about the potential implications of this on how well it can prioritise efforts and ensure that work is not being duplicated. The Home Office agreed it did not have a comprehensive account of exactly what government departments are spending on tackling VAWG, but told us that this will be addressed through its approach to the forthcoming spending review.30 We asked whether the Home Office intended to submit a joint spending review bid for its new Strategy. It told us that it hopes the new approach to coordinating spending, supported by the Safer Streets mission, will be “stronger even” than a joint bid.31
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation to address the lack of a comprehensive account of VAWG spending across departments, with a target implementation date of Autumn 2025. However, specific funding allocations and cross-government spending coordination will only be determined after the upcoming Spending Review and …
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HM Treasury
15
Conclusion
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
Written evidence submitted to the Committee highlights the impact that short–term funding settlements can have on locally run services’ ability to provide adequate, specialist support to survivors of VAWG. Women’s Aid told us that single–year finding settlements limit service providers’ ability to recruit and retain specialist staff as they are …
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Written evidence submitted to the Committee highlights the impact that short–term funding settlements can have on locally run services’ ability to provide adequate, specialist support to survivors of VAWG. Women’s Aid told us that single–year finding settlements limit service providers’ ability to recruit and retain specialist staff as they are unable to provide long– term employment security.32 Evidence submitted by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner highlights that short–term funding settlements can lead to service providers recruiting and training staff at very short notice, only to potentially close the service or make staff redundant a year later.33 The Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s 2022 mapping of specialist domestic abuse services found that 80% of organisations receive statutory funding as their main source of income, meaning that the majority of organisations are affected by the short–term and insecure nature of funding.34 The Home Office told us that it is expecting the current spending review to be three years’ RDEL and four years’ capital, which moves away from a series of one–year 28 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.5, 2.9 29 C&AG’s Report, para 9 30 Q 28 31 Q 33 32 Q 6 33 VAWG0076 34 VAWG0076 14 spending reviews. Whilst acknowledging that it is a 10–year ambition to halve VAWG, the Home Office told us that it cannot expect a settlement longer than 4–years given the current financial climate.35
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation on funding stability but states that final funding allocations and plans for cross-government VAWG spending are contingent on the upcoming departmental budget allocation process following the Spending Review. The Home Office commits to updating the Committee once decisions …
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HM Treasury
16
Recommendation
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
This financial uncertainty can have particularly devastating consequences on smaller, specialist organisations, including those run ‘by–and–for’ the people that they serve. Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse told us that funding ‘by–and–for’ services not only ensures adequate support for all survivors, regardless of specific needs, but also saves costs. For example, …
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This financial uncertainty can have particularly devastating consequences on smaller, specialist organisations, including those run ‘by–and–for’ the people that they serve. Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse told us that funding ‘by–and–for’ services not only ensures adequate support for all survivors, regardless of specific needs, but also saves costs. For example, research referenced by Southall Black Sisters suggests that when migrant survivors with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) can access ‘by–and–for’ services, net savings to local public services over 3 years total more than £18,000 per women.36 However, After Exploitation told us that throughout the delivery of the 2021 VAWG Strategy there was a dearth of support services ‘by–and–for’ survivors with diverse characteristics.37 The Home Office told us that it is committed to taking an intersectional approach to its new strategy, so that it recognises the diverse range of needs.38 35 Q 40 36 VAWG0069; VAWG0078 37 VAWG0059 38 Q 87 15 2 Monitoring and evaluation Engaging locally to understand what works
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, committing to ensure maximum financial stability for the VAWG sector, particularly specialist 'by-and-for' organisations, with a target implementation date of Autumn 2025. However, specific funding allocations and cross-government spending plans will only be clarified after the Spending Review and …
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HM Treasury
25
Conclusion
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
The NAO found that, to date, the Home Office has made little progress developing measures to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG).58 The Home Office told us that it expects that reported rates of VAWG will increase initially due to an increase in trust in the system.59 However, stakeholders …
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The NAO found that, to date, the Home Office has made little progress developing measures to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG).58 The Home Office told us that it expects that reported rates of VAWG will increase initially due to an increase in trust in the system.59 However, stakeholders told the NAO that they were concerned about the capacity that exists in the rest of the criminal justice system to manage this increased demand.60 This issue is exacerbated by other challenges faced by the wider justice system such as the lack of prison spaces and crown court backlogs. In the first quarter of 2024–25, the mean number of days from police referring a rape case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and the CPS authorising a charge was 158 days, compared to a mean average of 46 days for all crime.61 Although it is important that survivors receive adequate support, and whilst acknowledging that this plays an important role in preventing revictimization, to achieve long–term, sustainable change, VAWG needs to be prevented in the first instance. Evidence submitted by the Local Government Association calls for a well–coordinated approach to tackling VAWG, that prioritises the reduction of future costs to the criminal justice system and health services.62
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations and states that the forthcoming VAWG Strategy, due by September 2025, will place prevention at its core, detailing cross-government efforts, educational approaches, and early risk factor identification. Further specifics are contingent on the strategy's publication.
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HM Treasury
26
Conclusion
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
Professor Katin Hohl told us that the most common age of survivors and perpetrators of sexual violence is between 11–20 years old.63 Evidence submitted by the Youth Endowment Fund suggested that 7% of girls and 6% of boys between 13–17 years old had experienced sexual violence in the last year. …
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Professor Katin Hohl told us that the most common age of survivors and perpetrators of sexual violence is between 11–20 years old.63 Evidence submitted by the Youth Endowment Fund suggested that 7% of girls and 6% of boys between 13–17 years old had experienced sexual violence in the last year. The research also found that 27% of these respondents had been in a romantic relationship over the past year, with nearly 49% having experienced violent or controlling behaviours. This research also found that children aged 13–15 years in relationships are significantly more likely to report violence or controlling experiences (58%) compared with those aged 16–17 (42%).64 Written evidence from Operation 58 C&AG’s Report, para 15 59 Q 46 60 C&AG’s Report, para 15 61 C&AG’s Report, para 1.5 62 VAWG0050 63 Q 8 64 VAWG0014 19 Encompass highlighted that the likelihood of becoming a perpetrator of domestic abuse in the future is increased if you experienced or witnessed it as a child.65
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations and states that the new VAWG Strategy, due by September 2025, will prioritize prevention, focusing on education, challenging societal norms, and identifying early risk factors in children and families to reduce future perpetration and victimization. Further details will …
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HM Treasury
27
Conclusion
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
We asked DfE what work it was doing to protect children and young people as well as prevent them from becoming perpetrators in the future. DfE told us it was doing a lot work through early interventions of family support which it told us supported 60,000 families across England where …
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We asked DfE what work it was doing to protect children and young people as well as prevent them from becoming perpetrators in the future. DfE told us it was doing a lot work through early interventions of family support which it told us supported 60,000 families across England where there are early signs of domestic abuse. Going forward, DfE told us it is working with MHCLG to continue early intervention work with families including doubling funding through the new children’s social care prevention grant, worth £270 million.66
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations and states that the forthcoming VAWG Strategy, due by September 2025, will place prevention at its heart, detailing preventative measures, educational approaches, and early risk factor identification. Specific details on this joint work will be set out in …
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HM Treasury
28
Conclusion
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
DfE also told us that it has made relationships and sex education (RSE) compulsory in schools since 2020, and in May 2024 revised the curriculum to include discussions on online harm, social media influencers, sharing of intimate imagery and upskirting as a new offence. In terms of evaluating the success …
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DfE also told us that it has made relationships and sex education (RSE) compulsory in schools since 2020, and in May 2024 revised the curriculum to include discussions on online harm, social media influencers, sharing of intimate imagery and upskirting as a new offence. In terms of evaluating the success of this work, DfE told us that it has had a good awareness among school leaders, and some studies show that the changes to the RSE curriculum could reduce violence in teenage relationships by as much as 17%.67 We asked DfE about the effectiveness of this work, since the rates of problematic relationships are not being reduced. DfE told us that the lack of data on under 16–year–olds and transparency on survivors’ experiences means that the ground keeps shifting in terms of where the harm is coming from. When asked whether DfE considers its approach as sufficiently agile to respond to evolving harms, DfE told us that it is important to keep the RSE curriculum up to date.68
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations and states that the new VAWG Strategy, due by September 2025, will prioritize prevention, challenging societal norms, and educating children on relationships and consent. Further details on this approach will be set out in the forthcoming strategy.
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HM Treasury
29
Conclusion
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
DfE also told us about Operation Encompass which is a police and education sharing partnership designed to deliver a more joined up approach to supporting children as survivors of domestic abuse.69 This work has a key role in supporting survivors, but also in preventing children from becoming perpetrators in the …
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DfE also told us about Operation Encompass which is a police and education sharing partnership designed to deliver a more joined up approach to supporting children as survivors of domestic abuse.69 This work has a key role in supporting survivors, but also in preventing children from becoming perpetrators in the future. In written evidence, Operation Encompass noted that, despite the Victims and Prisoners Act placing a statutory obligation on all police forces in England and Wales to participate in Operation Encompass, it is yet to formally begin. Neither DfE nor Home Office could tell us the planned commencement date.70 65 VAWG0021 66 Q 73 67 Q 73 68 Q 74 69 Q 27 70 Q 85; VAWG0021 20
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the observation, setting a target date of September 2025, but states that more detailed preventative measures will be set out in the forthcoming VAWG Strategy.
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HM Treasury
30
Conclusion
26th Report - Tackling Violence against…
Deferred
We asked DfE specifically what role boys are playing in the prevention work it was delivering through the VAWG Strategy. DfE told us that there is not a part of the new VAWG Strategy specifically designed to address harmful attitudes amongst boys.71 DfE told us that it had expanded the …
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We asked DfE specifically what role boys are playing in the prevention work it was delivering through the VAWG Strategy. DfE told us that there is not a part of the new VAWG Strategy specifically designed to address harmful attitudes amongst boys.71 DfE told us that it had expanded the new draft guidance on RSE to include misogynistic online influencers, and that it is an expectation that boys will be educated on this. When asked what else it will be doing beyond the RSE curriculum, DfE told us that it could be working with male role models through youth services, social workers, youth offending teams and secondary school teachers. When asked how this work will feed into the future Strategy and mission, DfE said it is something that could be explored with MHCLG and MoJ.72 Responding to tech-enabled violence against women and girls
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations, stating that the new VAWG Strategy, due by September 2025, will integrate prevention, education, and early intervention to address harmful attitudes and behaviours among children and young people. Further specifics will be detailed in the forthcoming strategy.
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HM Treasury