End Violence Against Women and Girls

End Violence Against Women and Girls Sue Ingram/Sheela Udeshi

The Home Office Definition • Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly • ‘Violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately.’ • In addition, the 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women states, this includes: • ‘…any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.

Definition contd… • Violence against women and girls includes both psychological and physical harm • Threats, coercion or arbitrary deprivation • Public and private life - wider remit • Recognises women as victims in majority cases • Gender-based violence • Does not exclude male victims

Different forms 8 strands • Domestic Abuse/Violence • Sexual Violence & Rape • Stalking & Harassment • Honour based violence • Forced marriage and child marriages • Female gentile mutilation • Sexual exploitation -including prostitution, pornography and trafficking

Cost of Violence against Women • Costs society £40 billion each year • Government research estimates the direct cost to the economy of domestic violence alone in England & Wales in one year is £6 billion • In addition, the human & emotional cost is estimated at £17billion (Walby, The Cost of Domestic Violence, 2004) • The cost of sexual offences in a year is estimated to be £8.46 billion, with each rape costing an estimated £76,000

Domestic Abuse • Domestic abuse is defined as any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are, or have been partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. • Crimes committed in the name of honour, forced marriage and female genital mutilation are also considered acts of domestic abuse

In Warwickshire • Definition includes FM, HB, FGM, Family members • Service specification eligibility aged 16 and over includes Male, BME disabled and LGBT victims • Volume crime causing significant harm • Cuts across all communities but surrounded by secrecy and shame • We have achieved a lot but still…. • Need to raise awareness, reduce acceptance, increase access and provide specialist support • Economic climate of cutbacks not growth

Sexual violence and Rape • Unwanted sexual attention including child sexual abuse, rape, assault organised and ritual abuse, pornography or prostitution • Crime survey 1 in 20 raped since age of 16 • 1 in 10 experience sexual victimisation

Stalking and Harassment • No legal definition • Types of stalking: Repeated unwanted communications • Unwanted intrusion • Common with separation fixation • Perpetrators power and control • Increased risk of harm and murder • Guidance under Harassment Act

Stalking and Harassment • British crime survey 1 in 20 experience stalking • Majority stalkers known to victims • 80% male perpetrators although either gender • All backgrounds • Multiple and repeated experience before reporting • Stalking and mental illness?

Honour Based Violence • A crime or incident which has or may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and or community • Perpetrators can be family members • No family counselling • One chance rule

Forced Marriage • Marriage conducted without the full and free consent of both parties where duress is a factor • Breach of Human rights • Difference between Forced Marriage and arranged • Why force?

FGM • FGM the range of procedures which involve the partial or complete removal of the external female genital or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reason • Girls ages between infancy and 15 • 66,000 cases in UK 2001 but underestimate increase in immigration

Sexual Exploitation-Prostitution • Difficult to define. • May include the provision of sexual services in exchange for some form of payment, such as money, drink, drugs or consumer goods or even a bed and a roof over one's head for a night. • In some cases there may be no exchange of material goods and the person may not recognise that they are being sexually exploited. • The relationship, however, will generally be characterised by coercion and intimidation.

Trafficking • The practice of people being tricked, lured, coerced or otherwise removed from their home or country, and then compelled to work with no or low payment or on terms which are highly exploitative. • The practice is considered to be trade or commerce in people, which has many features of slavery, and which is illegal in most countries. • The victims of human trafficking can be used in a variety of situations, including prostitution, forced labor (including bonded labour or debt bondage) and other forms of involuntary servitude. The sale of babies and children for adoption or other purposes is also considered to be trafficking in those children.

Government Vision • No woman or girl has to live in fear of violence • prevent such violence from happening by challenging the attitudes and behaviours which foster it and intervening early where possible to prevent it; • provide adequate levels of support where violence does occur; • partnership to obtain the best outcome for victims and their families; and • take action to reduce the risk to women and girls who are victims of these crimes and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice

Warwickshire's aims 2008 - 11 • Prevent and reduce incidents of domestic abuse, to reduce repeat victimisation and to protect victims and their children from violence • Provide a sympathetic and appropriate supportive response to victims and their children and consult with service users on the quality and appropriateness of services provided • Work towards tackling repeat incidents by effectively working with perpetrators of domestic abuse

Warwickshire Domestic Abuse Strategy 2008-11 • Increase in reporting of domestic abuse • Increase in perpetrators charged and going to court • Increase in children and young people affected by domestic abuse provided with support • Reduction in reported repeat incidents of domestic abuse – further work needs to be undertaken before a baseline for this indicator can be established.

Existing structure/ processes • Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Steering Group & Protocols • Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) Task and Finish Group • Forced Marriage Steering Group • Specialist Domestic Abuse Court (SDAC) Steering Group +Protocols • Sexual Violence Operational and Strategic groups • Rugby and North Warwickshire Forums

Moving forward • VAWG strategy and action plan • Warwickshire violent crime reduction strategy • Better links with other strategic and operational issues • Commissioning of Domestic Abuse Support Service and Refuge service • Better service user involvement

Equality Impact • Equalities duties and new legislation April 2011 • Race: BME – cultural beliefs, • Forced marriage ….HBV…..FGM Limited data but prevalence in BME communities • Religion: cuts across all geographical religious, ethnic and national boundaries • Disability/long term illness likely victim rape • DA links to mental health

Equality Impact • Sexual Orientation • Gender Reassignment: Transgender women fearful in public places • Gender: more likely women than men • Pregnancy 30% DA during pregnancy • Age: Children and young people higher risk 16-24 age • Elderly at high risk but majority of reports 24 to 44 age group

Information Support Service Directory Key documents www.talk2someone.org.uk0800 408 1552 • Victims • Perpetrators • Friends/ Family • Professionals

Further Information • Sue Ingram • Domestic Abuse Manager • sueingram@warwickshire.gov.uk • Helen Jinks • Domestic Abuse Admin Assistant • helenjinks@warwickshire.gov.uk • Tel: 01926 412016 • Web: www.talk2someone.org.uk

End Violence Against Women and Girls