Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted
Home Office VAWG prevalence measurement strategy uses limited data and undefined headline metrics.
Recommendation
Government has set an ambition to halve the prevalence of violence against women and girls in the next decade. To measure progress against this ambition, the Home Office told us it intends to use prevalence estimates from Crime Survey for England and Wales data (CSEW).47 We asked the Home Office how it would account for the fact that the CSEW only collects responses from individuals over the age of 16 and only includes prevalence estimates for some VAWG crime types; rape, domestic abuse, other sexual offences and stalking.48 The Home Office told us that it has agreed three headline metrics, that will be used in combination to track progress against its ambition to halve VAWG, although it did not outline specifically what these will be. The Home Office told us its approach to measuring progress will include a basket of sub–metrics to help address some of the gaps in data available.49
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation, outlining a broad suite of metrics by September 2025 to measure progress on tackling VAWG, including a headline CSEW-based prevalence measure, supporting headline metrics, and a range of sub-metrics to be detailed in the new VAWG Strategy.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: September 2025 5.2 The government will use a broad suite of metrics to comprehensively measure the ambition and work on tackling VAWG. This will include a headline metric on the prevalence of VAWG as reported through the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW). This will be measured by a new combined measure of those who have experienced domestic abuse, and/or sexual assault and/or stalking in the previous 12 months. The target to halve VAWG within a decade will be set against this headline prevalence measure. 5.3 The government will use supporting headline metrics covering repeat domestic abuse, the prevalence of sexual harassment as measured by the CSEW, and female homicides. A range of other sub-metrics will be used to provide a more comprehensive picture of VAWG in society and measure the effectiveness of the interventions. The suite of sub-metrics will be set out in the new VAWG Strategy. It will include data related to forms of VAWG not covered by the headline or supporting headline metrics, such as online VAWG. The range of measures and data sources selected will ensure that victim interactions with services outside of policing and the CJS are captured, including education, housing and healthcare. This will allow the government to monitor the whole system response to tackling VAWG and the success of the range of interventions outlined in the Strategy. 5.4 The Safer Streets Mission provides the forum by which departments will share relevant information on VAWG. All government departments have contributed to the development of the performance framework, ensuring a range of metrics are included on the scale of VAWG and the full government response. Further detail will be published in the VAWG Strategy.