Anna’s Blog – Violence Against Women and Girls
November 25th is White Ribbon Day, a global day of awareness and action to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG). In July this year, violence against women was declared a national emergency in the UK. A recent report from the National Police Chiefs Council estimated that two million women experience domestic violence from men each year. Stalking, harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence affect 1 in 12 women in England and Wales, which has grown by 37% in the last five years.
According to the 2021 Femicide Census, men are killing one woman every three days in the UK. This year, The Guardian launched the ‘Killed Women Count’, a project reporting on every woman who is killed by a man throughout 2024. So far, there are 50 women listed. Of these 50 women, 39 (78%) were connected to the perpetrator, many of whom were partners, ex-partners, siblings and children.
The census states that most women killed by a man were killed by a current or former partner (53%), and of those, at least half had left or were taking steps to leave them. You can read my previous blog on domestic violence and mental health, which also highlights the impact on women with disabilities, who are over twice as likely to experience domestic violence than those without disabilities.
Stories such as Rebecca Cheptegei, a Ugandan Olympic runner who was killed by a former partner over a land dispute in September, highlight the appalling nature of domestic crime that is experienced worldwide. Many of us were deeply disturbed by the crossbow killings of a mother and two daughters in Hertfordshire in July, by a man who was in a previous relationship with one of the daughters. Women should not have to feel afraid for their or their families’ safety after leaving a relationship.
Creative Support is proud to have a Domestic Abuse Policy, which outlines our commitment to any staff member who is impacted by domestic violence. This policy includes specific measures to ensure our staff feel recognised and supported in the workplace.
Many cases of violence against women have highlighted shocking police failings and abuses of power. The country was shaken by the 2020 murder of Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped and killed by a police officer who had a violent history with women. Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, sisters who were celebrating a birthday in a London park, were murdered by a man who intended to sacrifice six women to win the lottery. When Nicole and Bibaa’s mother reported them missing, no officers had searched the area after 24 hours, and the bodies were found by Nicole’s partner. Two officers were later charged with misconduct for sharing inappropriate photographs of the crime scene in WhatsApp groups; even in such horrific circumstances we cannot trust that women will be treated with respect and dignity.
The police state that violence against women should be treated as seriously as terrorism, however with probation services overstretched, prisons overcrowded and women’s refuge services underfunded, justice is sadly not served in a large majority of cases. Inexperienced officers are handed sensitive cases, or in worst-case, perpetrators themselves are promoted to senior positions. David Carrick, a Met police officer, was jailed for 85 attacks against women in his 20-year career. It is not a surprise therefore that VAWG is so under-reported.
The media plays a huge part in shaping attitudes towards acts of violence towards women, expressing sympathy for the perpetrator and blaming women for their actions. The murder of a Surrey head teacher and her seven-year-old daughter by the husband and father last year led to a MailOnline article titled “Did Living in the Shadow of his High-Achieving Wife Lead To Unthinkable Tragedy?”. Not only does this highlight the killer’s narrative and frame his actions as driven by jealousy perpetrated by his wife’s successful career, but it calls the murder an “unthinkable” tragedy – when in fact, women are murdered by men every three days.
The next time you read about violence towards women in the mainstream media, look for signs of sympathy for the perpetrators, explanations for their motives, or negative judgement on the woman such as walking home alone at night or dressing in certain ways. Speculation following Sarah Everard’s death included questioning why she was walking home at night; a 50-minute walk through a main road in London. As said by author Khaled Hosseini: “Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always,” and this is heavily reflected in the media coverage. Articles such as Killed Women Count are a useful step in the right direction, allowing the narrative to shift towards a focus on the woman and the tragedy that has occurred.
We recognise that many of our employees and the people we support will be affected by violence against women and girls. To demonstrate our commitment to influencing wider societal change and reinforcing a safe organisational culture for all, we are currently working towards White Ribbon accreditation.