Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted
Inconsistent VAWG definitions across government impede consistent progress monitoring and accurate measurement.
Recommendation
There are also different definitions of VAWG used across government, which makes it difficult to monitor progress in a consistent way. For example, the definition of VAWG used by the Home Office includes all victims and survivors of VAWG–related offences, regardless of whether they are men or women, boys or girls. Whereas, in contrast, the police definition only includes VAWG–related offences perpetrated against women and girls.52 Despite the police defining VAWG in a different way, the Home Office told us that this will not impact its ability to measure progress, as it does not consider police–recorded crime an accurate measure of prevalence. The Home Office told us that this is because police data is likely to underreport the true scale of VAWG, stating that underreporting levels can be between one in six and one in five.53 Research submitted by Dr Caroline Miles and Professor Rosemary Broad found that 68% of 498 women surveyed had experienced VAWG whilst out running, but only around one in 20 of these women reported to the police.54
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, involving contributions from all government departments.
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.