United Kingdom-27th Session May 2017-Violence against women / gender-based violence

Para 27) Since it published the first Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls in 2010, the UK Government has made significant progress to combat VAWG. It has introduced new offences for controlling or coercive behaviour, so-called ‘revenge porn’, ‘upskirting’ and failure to protect from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Para 28) The UK has also raised the maximum penalties for stalking and harassment; ended the automatic early release of violent and sexual offenders from prison; introduced new civil orders for stalking, preventing sexual harm, and FGM to better protect victims and those at risk; introduced a mandatory duty for frontline professionals to report cases of FGM in children to the police; and strengthened the tools available to frontline professionals - including putting in place a range of statutory guidance, training and online resources. In 2020 we published the UK Strategy on tackling sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH) in the aid sector and will continue to use our convening power to improve standards, identify perpetrators and support survivors and victims. Para 29) The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 will strengthen protections for victims of abuse, whilst also ensuring perpetrators feel the full force of the law. Measures introduced by the Act include: • a statutory definition of domestic abuse to ensure it is properly understood by professionals across policing and law enforcement, health, housing, social care and education; • establishing a Domestic Abuse Commissioner in law to provide accountability to the public and Ministers on failures within statutory service provision and poor practice in services; and • new Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, which will help prevent perpetrators from contacting their victims, as well as requiring them to take positive and responsible steps to change their behaviour. Para 30) The UK Government has also released two major complementary strategies: the Tackling VAWG Strategy 2021 and Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan 2022. It has also published an updated version of the National Statement of Expectations, an updated Supporting Male Victims position statement and responded to all Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) recommendations, including making VAWG a part of the Strategic Policing Requirement. Para 31) Building on this progress, in 2022 the UK Government plans to publish Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Statutory Guidance and a new Victims’ Funding Strategy, which will deliver cross government coordination of funding for victims’ services, including those for sexual violence victims. Para 32) The Scottish Government established an independent Working Group to specifically look at misogyny in Scotland and to explore whether there should be a standalone offence to tackle misogynistic conduct, and whether the characteristic of sex should be added to the hate crime legislative framework. The Working Group’s Report was published in March 2022 and the Scottish Government published its response to its report in April 2022, in which it states its intention to consult on draft legislation in advance of introducing a Bill. Para 33) In Wales, the implementation of The Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 (the VAWDASV Act) has led to increased training, stronger guidance, practice change and clear strategic direction throughout Welsh public services, all impacting on the lives of those affected. The Welsh Government also published its first National Strategy on VAWDASV for 2016-2021 and published a Delivery Framework (2018-2021), which sets out how the Government will meet commitments made in the National Strategy. Para 34) In Jersey, the 2018 Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law, provides greater protection and a clearer pathway to justice. The law updates and clarifies the definition of a number of sexual offences including up-skirting and FGM and provides clarity on consent by defining what consent is in statute for the first time and specifies a number of non-consensual offences. Para 35) In the Cayman Islands, the Stalking Act (2018), which will be reviewed and amended in 2022, has provided protection and remedies in cases involving stalking and established an investigative complaints procedure into allegations of stalking.