MPs criticise delay to violence against women strategy

Senior MPs have raised concerns about repeated delays in publishing the government's strategy for tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Labour ministers have committed to halving VAWG within a decade, but the strategy to deliver this has already been pushed back three times this year.

In a letter to ministers, Karen Bradley, Sarah Owen and Andy Slaughter - who chair the Home Affairs, Women and Equalities and Justice Committees - said this was creating uncertainty for the sector, with many organisations struggling to sustain services because of a lack of clarity about funding.

The Home Office said the strategy would be published "as soon as possible".

The publication of the strategy was initially expected in the spring but has been delayed three times - most recently, it was due in the autumn.

In their letter to the two ministers responsible for VAWG - Jess Phillips and Alex Davies-Jones - the three MPs said they welcomed efforts to ensure the strategy was "both robust and practical".

However, they said they had heard concerns from organisations working in the sector that the delays were creating "significant uncertainty" and sending the message the issue was not a government priority.

"Repeated delays are having a knock-on effect on funding," the letter said.

"Many VAWG organisations - particularly smaller ones - are struggling to sustain services, with some forced to close."

The letter also said it was unclear how government departments were working together to prioritise the issue, with the MPs told some departments, including education and health, had not been involved in discussions about the strategy.

It said those working in the sector had also complained about poor communication from government, and the data being relied upon to inform the strategy.

Labour's general election manifesto last year said the party's "landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade will require a national effort".

It pledged to use "every government tool available to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence".

Promised measures included specialist sexual offences teams in every police force, fast-tracking rape cases in the courts, introducing domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms, as well as ensuring schools address misogyny and teach young people about healthy relationships.

A government spokesperson said ministers remained committed to the target of halving VAWG within a decade.

"This requires a truly transformational approach to how we respond to this across every part of government," the spokesperson added.

"It is essential that we take the time to get this right."

Around one in eight women were victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking in the year to March 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The figures, which were published in July, were the first time the ONS had given an estimate of the combined prevalence of the three offences, after being asked by the Home Office to help monitor the government's target to halve VAWG.

A report by the UK's spending watchdog earlier this year found that Home Office efforts to tackle VAWG under previous governments had so far not improved outcomes for victims.

The National Audit Office highlighted that three separate strategies had been published under the Conservatives since 2010.

However, its analysis found the percentage of women to have suffered a sexual assault had continued to rise during this period.

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