Violence Against Women and Girls in UK a 'National Emergency': Enforcement Bodies' Report

Violence against women and girls in England and Wales has been declared a "national emergency," with nearly 3,000 offences recorded daily, according to a new report.

The study, commissioned by two law enforcement bodies, estimates that at least one in every 12 women will be a victim each year, with the actual number expected to be significantly higher.

"Violence against women and girls is a national emergency," said Senior Police Chief Maggie Blyth in comments accompanying the report.

The study revealed that over one million violent crimes against women and girls were recorded by police in 2022-2023. These crimes accounted for just under a fifth of all police-recorded crime, excluding fraud, in England and Wales between April 2022 and March 2023.

The report noted a 37% increase in violence against women and girls between 2018-2019 and the previous year, with domestic abuse being one of the biggest demands on policing.

The study also found that one in 20 adults in England and Wales, or 2.3 million people, will perpetrate crimes against women and girls annually.

"These are cautious estimates, as much crime goes unreported and in policing, we often only see the tip of the iceberg," Blyth said.

She warned that violence against women in both countries had "reached epidemic levels" and called for government intervention in the "overwhelmed" criminal justice system.

Meanwhile, offences related to child sexual abuse and exploitation surged by 435% between 2013 and 2022, from just over 20,000 to nearly 107,000. Offenders are getting younger, with the average age of a suspect now 15.

The report also highlighted that stalking and harassment account for 85% of online-related offences.
Britain's Home Office declared violence against women and girls a national threat to public safety in February last year.

Over the past year, more than 4,500 new officers have been trained to investigate rape and serious sexual offences.

The report detailed a 38% increase in charges for adult rape from the year ending December 2022 to the year ending December 2023.

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