Women’s Aid and WCRS – in collaboration with the British Board of Film Classification – have launched a new cinema advert, which shines a light on the hidden victims of domestic abuse: children.
The End Violence Against Women Coalition and Surviving Economic Abuse were amongst those invited to give evidence the Home Affairs Select Committee examining how the Domestic Abuse Bill will address economic abuse and stalking. Women’s groups took the opportunity to tell MPs that the Bill doesn’t go far enough and must tackle violence against women and girls more broadly. They also made the case for measures which increase support and justice for ALL women, and ensure there is a coherent cross-government approach to tackling and preventing abuse.
On Friday 31st August 2018, Rape Crisis England & Wales and Women's Aid closed their joint crowdfunding campaign having raised £20,250 from 900 supporters. The amount raised will support the two specialist violence against women and girls (VAWG) charities as they pursue a legal challenge against the cruel and discriminatory two-child tax credit limit.
On the 7th September 2018, the bill to make upskirting a specific, sexual offence passed through the House of Commons. Read Wera Hobhouse’s piece in the Guardian on why the law must keep up with technology and go much further to protect women and girls from sexual offences.
Last week, The Independent published a piece on the latest figures regarding the number of children in the UK living in households where they witness domestic abuse. Data published by Women’s Aid shows that while tens of thousands of under-18s witness domestic violence in their homes, provision of support has dropped by 16 per cent since 2010, in what has been described as a “crisis” facing domestic abuse services.
Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Probation, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary have published joint targeted area inspection guidance for inspectors carrying out a joint targeted area inspection of a local area, with a ‘deep dive’ investigation into how local services respond to child sexual abuse in the family environment in England. Guidance for joint targeted area inspections: child sexual abuse in the family environment. Source: NSPCC Caspar Alert
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced plans for a new national response unit to help local authorities in England support vulnerable children at risk of exploitation by criminal gangs. The new unit, which will operate from 2019 up until 2022, will address child sexual exploitation together with other crimes, such as gang and drug activity, which exploit vulnerable children and can lead to children going missing.
The NEWomen's Network aims to strengthen the women's sector by encouraging collaboration between women's groups and by building alliances across other sectors. Read more »
