White Ribbon UK initial response to the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy
We welcome the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy and its strong focus on prevention to tackle the root causes of abuse. We are really pleased to see that this is a cross-governmental strategy and that the Prime Minister has committed to delivering a whole society approach – for this to be a success we must see action throughout our communities and institutions, from schools to sports clubs and in our workplaces.
White Ribbon UK specalises in engaging men and boys to challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours, to prevent violence from happening in the first place. We need men and boys to be part of the solution, so we welcome the launch of a national conversation and a summit to build a positive, aspirational agenda for men and boys next year. We hope to work alongside the Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy MP and Minister for Victims and VAWG, Alex Davies Jones MP on this.
The Government rightfully notes how important it is to address adult behaviours and attitudes in prevention efforts, just as much as those of children and young people. Workplaces are a key place to focus this work, reaching adults across society. We are encouraged to see the Government commit to every workplace being a safe and respectful environment for all and that they will update guidance to cover all forms of abuse and promote robust policies and training. We saw a real impact in workplaces from the Worker Protection Act (2023), which came into force in October 2024; any measures that support and strengthen this Act is a step in the right direction. The Government want to use the Civil Service to lead by example, so we hope they will join the UK Parliament and work to become White Ribbon Accredited.
We are really pleased to see the Government include ‘attitudes towards misogyny and harmful behaviour’ within their performance framework for monitoring. This is something we have long called for as the data will enable us to effectively measure the impact of primary prevention work, monitor shifts in misogyny, and anticipate future challenges. We look forward to hearing more detail on how the Government will be monitoring and tracking this.
It is also positive to see the Government’s commitment to create change through a whole society approach, in particular the launch of:
Research to improve our understanding of how societal and gender norms influence the choices and actions of men and women in the UK.
Long-term programme of awareness-raising and behaviour change campaigns that improve public understanding, challenge harmful myths and attitudes, and build confidence to intervene safely and effectively.
However, we would welcome a clearer understanding of how the Government will deliver a whole society approach and we stand ready to work with them to develop this.
While it’s great to see the Government focus on prevention and engaging with schools, teachers and particularly with parents and caregivers who we feel have a key role to play in this issue, this must be done in tandem with messaging to tackle misogyny outside the school. Any adult who acts as a role model for children and young people should have the same understanding of these issues.
The funding around prevention announced in the strategy is welcome and a good start. We look forward to seeing the results of the research ‘to improve our understanding of how societal and gender norms influence the choices and actions of men’, as that will inform how the Government will invest in the long-term.
Next steps
This is an ambitious strategy and it recognises that in order to deliver on the many positive measures and announcements, it will require effective cross-governmental department working, genuine partnership and sustained action from all corners of society; it takes all of us to make a difference.
In the New Year we will carry out a more detailed analysis of the strategy and its measures. We look forward to working collaboratively with the Government to deliver its plans, and help create a world where everyone is safe, equal and respected.
For more information, read the Government’s strategy and action plan.