On Friday 6th March 2009 the Home Office launched a nationwide consultation on violence against women and girls. The consultation entitled ‘Together we can end Violence against Women and Girls’ intends to raise awareness and generate debate and discussion on what more could be done to end Violence against Women and its far reaching impact. Download the Home Office consultation.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith states ‘I am proposing that we need to take more action to prevent violence against women and girls; help them feel safer when they are out, especially at night; further improve the help women and girls get when it is needed; and act to catch and convict perpetrators.’

Much has been done by the Government over the past 10 years to tackle violence against women and girls:

• Conviction rates for Domestic Violence have increased significantly, rising by 25% in the last five years
• Legislation on Forced Marriage has been strengthened with the Forced Marriage Unit supporting over 400 victims in 2008
• Conviction rates for rape prosecutions are now at their highest in 10 years

The Women’s Voluntary sector have also played a large part in such developments. For almost forty years the Women’s Voluntary Sector have continued to provide refuges, rape crisis centres, crisis lines, survivors groups and other creative projects for those women and girls affected by violence. Practical support and campaigning have ensured that the issue of violence against women is now firmly on the public agenda, both nationally and internationally.

The 2009 Home Office consultation aimed to reach out to all sectors of society, asking men and women, boys and girls to respond to the paper and provide insight into how they think the issue of violence against women and girls should be dealt with.

The Haven Wolverhampton has written and submitted a formal response to the consultation. Please download The Haven Wolverhampton’s response.